Search for miners intensifies

MELODY MUPETA,
MWILA NTAMBI,
MARY LEMBA
Chingola, Ndola
ALTHOUGH it is five days since miners were trapped at an open-pit mine in Chingola and no single body has been retrieved, Copperbelt Minister Elisha Matambo is not giving up.
“With God, all things are possible,” he said yesterday when asked if there was hope of rescuing anyone alive.
President Hakainde Hichilema is today expected on the Copperbelt to check on the situation in Chingola.
Mr Matambo said the rescue operation, which involves about 400 people, is heading somewhere – the holes where the missing miners used to work from have been located.
About 11 excavators have been deployed at the site and are working day and night.
“Experts have gone in to take out the mud but no single body has been retrieved yet,” he said.
“But we are very happy that we are heading somewhere.”
So far, 27 families have reported to have missing people that used to work from the mine.
Mr Matambo said the number of missing people could stand at either plus or minus 31.
Peggy Musonda, whose 23-year-old son is missing, is losing hope though her sisters are encouraging her to remain positive as anything is possible.
“I doubt if my son has survived looking at the number of days that have passed,” Ms Musonda, who was found at the entrance of the pit with relatives, said…https://enews.daily-mail.co.zm/welcome/home