Dubai: Two Egyptian men have died after falling into a deep pit while illegally digging for antiquities inside a house in Egypt’s Sohag governorate, Egyptian media reported.
The men aged 50 and 26 were 'looking for archaeological objects' in a two-floor house in Sohag, a city rich in Pharaonic ruins. A rescue team retrieved their bodies and transferred them to Sohag Central Hospital. The security forces also arrived at the scene and confiscated the drilling tools used in the illegal excavation. An investigation into the incident has been launched.
The illegal digging for antiquities underground homes is spreading in the villages of the southern province of Qena, Luxor, Sohag and Aswan.
The secret excavation for antiquities in the villages of Upper Egypt has led to some important archaeological discoveries by the Ministry of Antiquities and Tourism after police were tipped off about the illegal digging.
Police receive complaints and tips daily from ordinary people about their neighbours’ digging in homes.
