Zambia: Copperbelt Province Minister Elisha Matambo says about 31 miners in Chingola are still trapped underground.
Matambo says the trapped are languishing in the three tunnels. He also revealed that a combined rescue team comprising Konkola Copper Mine, Mopani mine, Mubambe mine, Zambia National Service, and Zambia army has continued its rescue mission.
The minister spoke to the media after visiting the site where the illegal miners have been trapped. He said that after verifying their names from their respective families his office will announce the names of the trapped miners.
He told the media that the trapped miners, are from Luanshya, Kitwe, Mufulira, and Chingola Districts, respectively. The affected families have since started the process of registering their relatives who are trapped underground.
“I urge Chingola people to be calm as the rescue team is working day and night to ensure the trapped miners are rescued“ Minister Elisha Matambo said.
Chingola Member of Parliament Chipoka Mulenga has advised the media to follow the channel of communication to ensure verified information is disseminated to the public.
Mr Mulenga also called for unit among the people in Chingola to work together until the miners are retrieved from the tunnels where they have been trapped.
“I urge you brothers and sisters to have faith in your leaders and see how the miners can be found, Let us pray so that we have our people retrieved,” Mr Mulenga said.
He thanked the rescue team for the works they are doing to ensure the mission of retrieving the trapped miners is done.
Equally, Mines and Minerals Development Minister Paul Kabuswe said government has taken charge to ensure that the matter of trapped miners is resolved.
Mr Kabuswe noted that the important thing is to focus on the lives and stop the misinformation on social and wait for miners to be retrieved.
” We are in a state where some numbers are speculative about trapped miners nobody has been retrieved when it’s done the public will informer of the correct picture ,” he said.
From last Thursday night an unknown number of miners were trapped after the tunnels they were working in got flooded.