ZIMBABWE- Five bodies, including that of a heavily pregnant woman and three of her relatives, have been recovered from a disused chrome pit in Shurugwi after a Honda Fit plunged into the 30-metre-deep pit on Sunday evening.

Shurugwi District Development Coordinator Romeo Shangwa confirmed the recovery of the fifth body on Wednesday morning after water was pumped out of the shaft overnight. The other four bodies were retrieved with the assistance of the Police Sub Aqua Unit. Shangwa also reported that the sixth passenger managed to swim out of the pit when the vehicle submerged.

Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson for the Midlands Province, Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko, stated that the names of the deceased are to be released soon.

The Honda Fit was en-route to Zvishavane at the time of the incident.

Abandoned chrome pits have been a long-standing safety concern for Shurugwi villagers, who have repeatedly urged the government to refill these hazardous sites.

This tragic incident follows a similar drowning in January when a female inmate lost her two young children after they drowned while swimming in an abandoned pit. Additionally, in a related case earlier this year, Tinashe Chigiya from Makandire Village confronted a ZANU PF councillor after a child drowned in the Musavezi River.

Chigiya reportedly blamed President Emmerson Mnangagwa and ZANU PF for allowing Chinese nationals to extract sand from the river, leaving behind dangerous open pits. Chigiya remains in remand prison after being arrested for allegedly insulting the president.