Superstition drives woman on ill-fated search for gold

Two years ago, a fortune-teller told Van Thi Hoai Thuong, 36 about an area, which according to his baseless supernatural ability, had tons of gold. Thuong, regardless of her husband’s fierce opposition, poured all the family’s savings and sold many valuable assets and land to illegally dig a tunnel and hire miners to search for the buried treasure.

Not one nugget was found in those fateful two years.

The illegal mine. Photo by T.H

Thuong questioned the fortune-teller many times, but was always told to dig deeper.

While the wife was facing a divorce from her husband, who could no longer stand her crazy search for gold, a terrible accident happened that claimed the lives of four miners.

At the time of the accident, Thuong was at the site and immediately tried to help the victims by setting up an altar to beg God for their salvation.

One of the three alive miners. Photo by T.H

However, after two hours had passed, there was still no sign of miners so she called local authorities for help. But she was too late; the four men were dead.

Thuong and the three surviving miners are on a three-month probation pending further investigation.

Local people told VnExpress they had reported the illegal mine on many occasions but authorities had taken no action.

“I have never heard of illegal mining in the area and I have also never there is gold in the area,” ALang Mai, chairman of the district’s People’s Committee said.