Greek firefighters recovered the bodies of three men from a storm sewer at Varibobi, north of Athens on Thursday.
The bodies were found at a depth of some 8 meters (26 feet). Police sources say that they were lying beside a small gas-operated generator, suggesting that the three men may have died of asphyxiation from its fumes.
According to investigators, the three unidentified men may have been prospecting for precious metals in the storm drain.
Police are investigating the tragedy, while forensic examinations are expected to shed more light on the cause of the men’s deaths.