Tanzanian police release details on mine accident involving university students
What you need to know:
- The victims, who were studying at Mbeya University of Science and Technology (MUST), ventured beyond the designated safety zone and were exposed to toxic fumes.
Dar es Salaam. Tanzanian police have provided details regarding the tragic mine accident that resulted in the deaths of two university students in Mirerani.
The victims, who were studying at Mbeya University of Science and Technology (MUST), ventured beyond the designated safety zone and were exposed to toxic fumes.
The incident occurred on July 24, 2024, at a mining site operated by Franone Mining and Company, which holds PML No 003280, according to Manyara Regional Police Commander, George Katabazi.
“We are told that the bodies of the deceased were discovered more than 250 metres from the safety zone inside the mining shift, and it seems they died due to inhaling toxic fumes," SACP Katabazi told The Citizen on Friday, July 26.
He added that according to the information divulged to the police, the students were conducting practical training when they entered a hazardous area and inhaled the toxic gases.
The victims have been identified as Maulid Omary (23), a second-year Mechanical Engineering student, and Given Machunde (25), a first-year Mining Engineering student.
The bodies were transported to the Mirerani Health Centre in Simanjiro District, Manyara Region, for postmortem examinations.
Earlier on Friday, a representative from MUST confirmed to Mwananchi Digital that the students had died during their practical training in Mirerani.
MUST’s Communications and Marketing Officer, Dickson Msakazi, stated that Machunde was an undergraduate in Mining Engineering, while Omary was a second-year Mechanical Engineering student.
"We are awaiting additional information from the mine owner. Further details will be released following the conclusion of the investigations," Msakazi added.
