Two illegal miners who sneaked into the bush to carry out their prohibited trade during the Christmas festivities have been found dead in an abandoned pit.

The deceased, identified as Kwabena Donkor, 45, and Duodu Kwaku, 44, were said to have moved their equipment to prospect for gold at an abandoned ‘galamsey’ site at Wassa Ataase in the Wassa Akropong District of the Western Region.

According to the police, the two were said to be in the process of prospecting for gold, but unfortunately they were trapped to death by the sand on top of the pit in which they were working.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Wassa Akropong District Police Commander, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Mr Isaac Kumnipah, said information about the tragic incident got to the police late.

The district commander said even though a lot of time was wasted before reporting the incident, the police moved quickly to the scene in the hope of finding the victims alive.

He said, however, that the team, with assistance from some community members, later retrieved the bodies from the pit.

Mr Kumnipah said the bodies had since been deposited at the Wassa Akropong Government Hospital, while police continued the their investigations.