In the village of Bestobe in the Akmola Region, a man has died who, according to preliminary information, fell into a mine shaft. His identity has not yet been established. The police have opened a criminal case and are conducting investigative measures to determine the circumstances of the incident.
WHAT HAPPENED AT THE BESTOBE MINE
According to preliminary data, the man fell into a mine shaft on the territory of the mine in the village of Bestobe. The injuries sustained were incompatible with life, reports Ulysmedia.kz.
The Akmola Region Police Department stated that a criminal case has been opened regarding the death. Investigative measures are currently underway to identify the deceased and clarify all the circumstances of the incident.
NOT THE FIRST FATALITY
According to available information, such tragedies at this mine have occurred before. In January, the body of a 35-year-old man from Stepnogorsk was discovered at the Bestobe mine. It was reported that he was officially unemployed and was allegedly attempting to mine gold illegally.
The Bestobe mine is owned by JSC «Mining and Metallurgical Concern «Kazakhaltyn» — one of the oldest enterprises in the gold mining industry of Kazakhstan. The company is engaged in exploration, extraction, and processing of gold-bearing ores. In addition to Bestobe, its structure includes the Aksu and Zholymbet mines in the Akmola Region.
WHY THE PROBLEM PERSISTS
Local residents claim on social media that illegal gold mining in the area has long become a widespread phenomenon. According to them, anyone can enter the mine for a fee.
The reports do not specify what safety measures are in place at the site or how unauthorised persons can access the territory.
SCALE OF ILLEGAL MINING
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), over the past ten years, more than 45,000 «illegal prospectors» have been detained in Kazakhstan. During the same period, law enforcement agencies shut down hundreds of illegal gold processing workshops.
As journalists note, the Bestobe mine has previously featured in criminal cases, linked to the illegal extraction of precious metals and the activities of organised groups.