In the Ayni district of Tajikistan, a man has tragically drowned while trying to extract gold.

Two villagers from Vota set out to search for the precious metal in the dangerous waters of the Fan River. One of them was swept away by the strong current after ignoring safety rules, The Caspian Post reports via Tajik news.

The second man climbed onto a boulder in the middle of the river and was unable to return, but was rescued by emergency services from the Zarafshan Range.

Search efforts for the drowned man are ongoing.