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Another fatal accident has occurred at Mopani Copper Mine, where the body of a dump truck driver was discovered underground in a seated position—just 72 days after two other mine fatalities were recorded.
Police have identified the deceased as 33-year-old Benson Kapembwa of Mufulira.
Copperbelt Province Police Deputy Commissioner, Geddy Divayi, said police received a report of a fatal mine accident that occurred on February 1, 2026, in the late afternoon.
However, she said the body was only discovered on February 3, 2026, at around 11:00 hours, underground at Level 1040 meters at Mopani’s Mufulira plant.
The report was filed at 14:40 hours the same day by Makungo Mutati, 41, Human Resources Manager for SKT Global Mining Company.
Kapembwa, who worked for Meeches Mining Company as a dump truck operator—a subcontractor under SKT Global Mining—reported for duty on February 1, 2026, at around 17:00 hours. He was expected to complete his shift on February 2, 2026, at 06:00 hours.
“The deceased never reached home, which caused his wife to inquire from his workmates and discovered that Mr. Kapembwa never made it to the surface that day of knocking off, and he had been missing for two days,” Divayi said.
She said a search team was assembled and sent underground, where they found Kapembwa’s body seated inside a dump truck machine, unresponsive, with a swollen forehead.
He was immediately transported to Malcolm Watson Mine Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival as investigations continued., she said the body was only discovered on February 3, 2026, at around 11:00 hours, underground at Level 1040 meters at Mopani’s Mufulira plant.
The report was filed at 14:40 hours the same day by Makungo Mutati, 41, Human Resources Manager for SKT Global Mining Company.
Kapembwa, who worked for Meeches Mining Company as a dump truck operator—a subcontractor under SKT Global Mining—reported for duty on February 1, 2026, at around 17:00 hours. He was expected to complete his shift on February 2, 2026, at 06:00 hours.
“The deceased never reached home, which caused his wife to inquire from his workmates and discovered that Mr. Kapembwa never made it to the surface that day of knocking off, and he had been missing for two days,” Divayi said.
She said a search team was assembled and sent underground, where they found Kapembwa’s body seated inside a dump truck machine, unresponsive, with a swollen forehead.
He was immediately transported to Malcolm Watson Mine Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival as investigations continued.
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