Cambodia well deaths: 7 dead after man attempts to retrieve 45p from bottom of hole

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7 people have died after jumping into a well in Cambodia

Seven people have died in a well after a man attempted to retrieve the equivalent of 45p from its bottom.

The man accidentally dropped the money into the well and decided to go in to get it back.

However, once at the bottom of the old and dry concrete well he fell into a coma because of a lack of oxygen.

Captain Muy Norn, acting police chief of Banteay Srei district in Cambodia, said: "When relatives and villagers saw the man collapsed at the well's bottom, they subsequently got into the well to help him and they all also got fainted and died in the well."

Speaking to Koh Santepheap Daily, he added: "In total, seven people including two women died in the well. We concluded that they all died of a lack of oxygen in the old and unused well."

The deaths took place on Saturday night in Cambodia's northwestern Siem Reap province, the Xinhua News agency reported.

The man was attempting to retrieve 3,000 riel, the equivalent of 45p.

Humans can lapse into a coma and die within 40 seconds if they are in an environment with low oxygen levels.