Business · India Bureau
Gold mine collapse in Central African Republic kills at least 30 workers
A catastrophic collapse at an artisanal gold mining site in the western Central African Republic has claimed at least 30 lives, with rescue workers continuing efforts to locate additional miners feared trapped beneath the debris.
LSN India ·
The mining site in the Abba region of Nana-Mambere prefecture collapsed Tuesday morning, triggering an emergency response from local authorities and residents. Rescue teams worked through several hours to extract 30 bodies from the wreckage, while injured miners were transported for medical treatment.
Florian Gaguende, one of the miners who survived the collapse, said rescue operations were ongoing to locate colleagues believed still trapped at the site. However, he expressed concern about the prospects of recovering survivors, noting that hopes of finding additional miners alive were diminishing as time passed.
Souleymane Bi, the sub-prefecture's deputy mayor, confirmed the recovery operation and the provision of medical assistance to the injured. The incident underscores the hazardous working conditions prevalent at artisanal mining operations across the Central African Republic, where safety protocols are often inadequate and structural failures pose constant risks to workers.