Two days after a vehicle plunged into a water-filled mining pit along Abakaliki/Ikwo expressway in the Enyigba-Izzi community, Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi state, crews have recovered the vehicle and the bodies of at least three of the victims.
A crane belonging to the Ebonyi State Ministry of Infrastructure for Concession pulled the white Volkswagen gulf to the surface around 10:30 am Monday, after several hours of toiling by local divers to retrieve the vehicle proved abortive.
After it was recovered, the State Governor, Dave Umahi, who was directly involved during the operation, confirmed the bodies of victims inside the vehicle.
The victims include Ogochukwu Elem, an All Progressives Congress, APC, member, a state youth leader, and two other unnamed mobile policemen.
Their bodies have been taken away by security operatives to an undisclosed mortuary.
Governor Umahi, who described the accident as mysterious, vows to go tough on miners in the state who have continued to flout government orders on safe mining activities.