What started as a children’s game ended in heartbreak after a 12-year-old boy was buried alive when an abandoned mining pit collapsed on him in Nsanje District.
Watson Matolabasi of Nyuwani Village under Traditional Authority Mbenje died on Friday after a heap of soil suddenly gave way while he was playing with friends inside a pit left behind by illegal miners.
Nsanje Police spokesperson Jabulani Ng’oma said the victim’s father, Robert Matolabasi, reported the incident after learning that his son had been trapped beneath the soil.
“The boy’s father reported that while they were inside the pit, a heap of soil collapsed and buried his son. Efforts by rescuers to save his life failed as he was already dead by the time they rushed to the scene,” said Ng’oma.
According to police, a postmortem examination established that Watson died from suffocation. Investigators have ruled out foul play.
Meanwhile, police in Nsanje have urged parents and guardians to keep children away from abandoned mines and other hazardous areas to prevent similar tragedies.
