Brazilian dies after mining pit collapses at Marudi Mountain

One person died after a mining pit collapsed on Thursday evening at Marudi Mountain, Deep South Rupununi in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).
The dead man has been identified as 55-year-old Peter Smith, also known as Pedro Da Silva, a native of Boa Vista, Brazil, who resided in Aishalton Village.
Based on reports received, numerous persons would visit mining sites in that area both during the day and at night.
“They would then use hammers and chisels to break off small pieces of rock, which they would then carry away in ‘salt bags’ and crush to extract pieces of raw gold. It is claimed that these men were constantly being chased out of the mining site, but they persisted in going there and even allegedly made threats to shoot workers with arrows and bows,” the Police stated.
An excavator operator who was working at one of those sites claimed to have seen three persons walking in the direction where some rocks had fallen with torchlights on their heads.
He said he heard a ‘crackling’ sound and saw two persons running away. He then went to the location to check and observed the victim’s body wedged between two big rocks.
As such, the Police were summoned to the area. The body was removed and taken to the Lethem Regional Hospital Mortuary to await a post-mortem.
Marks were seen on the head, neck, chest, back, and abdomen of the body. Investigations are continuing.