Israeli team did not abandon Melcom rescue mission – Minister

Mr Rojo Mettle-Nunoo, Deputy Minister of Health said on Saturday that the departure of the Israeli rescue team was an indication that their Ghanaian counterpart had the needed requirement to continue with the mission.

Briefing the media, he said the return of the team to Israel should not be interpreted as their abandonment of the mission as the Ghanaian team made up of the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Armed Forces, National Disaster Management Organisation, and the rest are working frantically to facilitate the process.

He said government had commenced investigations into the cause of the collapse and the strength of other buildings in the area and would make the findings public after the investigations.

He expressed his appreciation to the team and urged them to continue working till the last person is found either dead or alive.

The Deputy Minister said work would continue throughout the night to clear the debris thereby making it possible to increase the chances of getting to those trapped.

On Wednesday, November 7, a six-storey building which housed the Achimota branch of Melcom Shopping Mall collapsed trapping unspecified number of persons.

So far 78 persons had been rescued alive while the death toll had risen to 12 after three dead bodies were retrieved on Friday around 2100 GMT.

Source: GNA