A tragic accident at Santasi Adjamasu in the Ashanti Region has claimed the life of a labourer who was engaged to dredge excess mud from a deep borehole.

The deceased was working inside the approximately 60-foot-deep borehole on Wednesday morning when he reportedly began experiencing severe breathing difficulties due to heat and lack of proper airflow.

Witnesses said the worker attempted to climb out of the narrow shaft but became weak and slipped back into the borehole. He sustained a fatal head injury after crashing to the bottom.

Alarmed residents quickly raised distress calls, leading to a joint rescue operation involving community volunteers and emergency personnel.

Rescuers battled thick mud, limited space and the depth of the borehole for close to nine hours before finally retrieving the body at about 7:00 p.m. Sadly, the victim was pronounced dead after the recovery.

Police have since visited the scene, and the body has been deposited at a morgue as investigations into the incident begin.