Four Brazilian gold miners die in Guyana pit collapse

Four Brazilian gold miners died in the South American country of Guyana when a pit they were working in collapsed, authorities said today.
Police spokesman Whitney Bacchus said the men were mining in the pit about 9 to 12 metres deep "when it caved in and covered them."
The incident occurred at Arau, Eteringbang, near Guyana's western border with Venezuela late Thursday afternoon. However, information about it only emerged Saturday because there is no telephone contact with the remote, forested and mountainous Amazon region.
The victims have been identified as Taigo Nunes Pinto, Ronaldo Da Silva Sousa, Joao Nelson Pinto Mands and Joao Gonsalves Martins.

Guyana's government has repeatedly cautioned miners to abide by occupational safety and health rules, but enforcement is lax due to a shortage of staff to cover the country's vast mining districts.