After being trapped in a mine for three days, Noah Ogweno, a 23-year-old gold digger never imagined that he would walk out alive.
During an interview with The Nation on Monday, January 10, Ogweno stated that it was a miracle to be alive, adding that he credits his rescue to a friend who got the word out after the mines caved in on Thursday, January 6.
He explained that first responders to the scene were unable to dig him out as they lacked the requisite tools. It took the intervention of the Rongo MP, Paul Abuor, to rescue the miner after he hired an excavator to help in the operation.
"I had gone to the mine alone because only one person can work there at ago. After digging for 15 minutes, I heard things coming down. When I looked back, the entrance was closed and I had to stay in there.
“I was able to talk to someone who kept on checking on me and I gave him updates on how I was fairing on,” he recounted.
For the three days, the 23-year-old stated that he had to kneel down the entire time as there was no space to sleep or move around.
"I feel tired because I could not sleep as I had to lean on the wall as I knelt down. I was not conscious and I just remember finding myself in the hospital,” he added.
Additionally, Ogweno revealed that he will not go back to mining business despite being the source of his livelihood. He expressed that he would look for other opportunities, stating that luck does not come twice.
“I cannot go back there because you know that when you are rescued, there is a reason why that happened. I cannot go back there. My prayer is that someone will give me a job because I do not have a job and I am on my own,” he expressed.
On their part, Ogweno's relatives stated that they had given up on him and believed that the 23-year-old would not make it out alive.
"It is impossible for someone to stay in a hole without enough air and food. We had lost hope and believed that he had passed away. When we saw him being brought out, we were happy but at the same time crying tears of joy," one of the relatives narrated.
After Ogweno was rescued, many social media users confused the miner with Tom Okwach, the Abimbo gold miner who is yet to be rescued 40 days after the gold mine collapsed.
