Kisumu — Three artisanal miners were pulled out of the mining hole dead in Bondo, Siaya County after a shaft collapsed on them.

The miners got trapped for several hours after a gold-mine shaft caved in on Tuesday afternoon at around 3pm.

Edwin Juma, a local administrator, reported that the miners got trapped at Kabuto mining site in Nyaguda sub-location within Bondo sub county.

"The gold mining shaft caved in and covered them alive," he said.

The miners who have been identified and are in the ages of 21, 33 and 35, were on their routine mining activities when the shaft collapsed and covered them.

"The artisanal miners are said to have entered into the shaft and were trying to expand its edges when the walls collapsed and covered them inside," added Juma.

Immediately the incident was reported, Juma says emergency teams were activated to rescue the miners.

After several hours of digging to get to the site where the miners were trapped, their bodies were found this evening.

"The three were confirmed dead after they were brought up to the mainland," he said.

The bodies have been preserved at the Bondo Sub county hospital mortuary.

Several deaths have been recorded in Siaya county this year as a result of mining shafts collapsing.