One Body Recovered in Copiah County Gravel-Pit Crisis

MEMA posted on Facebook: Governor Phil Bryant and MEMA Executive Director Lee Smithson visited Green Brothers Gravel Company on June 6, and met with the families of the two miners, along with the team members of the recovery efforts.

Along with help from emergency management agencies, Green Brothers Gravel Company located the body of one of the Copiah County miners trapped inside an excavator cab buried in a gravel pit at 2:30 a.m. Thursday, June 9.

Although the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) can not release whether the body belongs to Emmitt Shorter or Dee Hemphill at this time, rescue efforts are still in progress to find the other miner.

After six days of the unknown and the unexpected, WLBT said that the Copiah County Board of Supervisors asked the governor to declare a state of emergency Wednesday night.

Around 11:30 a.m. Friday, June 3, the Shorter and Hemphill were buried after a cave-in at the gravel pit operated by the Green Brothers Gravel Company on Harmony Road in Crystal Springs, Mississippi.

Shorter and Hemphill were buried under what officials said was at least 10 feet of gravel, sand and mud.

The Green Brothers Gravel Company has acquired pumps and other types of equipment, for better use of suctioning out solids and other slurry materials. Water piped down from the cave site was incorporated in the rescue efforts, to wash down the gravel, mud-like material, from the machines into the pumps.

Progress is still continuing, as rescue teams look for alternate ways to further proceed with the rescue mission.

WLBT reported that neighbors of the two workers have spoken out about the devastating event. One of the neighbors brought flowers to the dig site, hoping and praying for a miracle. A pastor and a church member also stopped by to offer prayer.

As well as neighbors, friends and family of Shorter and Hemphill coming together for support, businesses in and around Copiah County have gathered in support. Nursing home workers in Copiah County released balloons and gathered in honor of the men, early Wednesday.

Rykia Bernard is a senior broadcast journalism major at the Meek School of Journalism and New Media. She can be reached at rmbernar@go.olemiss.edu