A gold mining site collapsed Tuesday morning in the Abba region of the Nana-Mambere prefecture, in the western part of the Central African Republic, according to Florian Gaguende, a survivor of the incident. Authorities and residents reported that at least 30 miners were killed, with rescuers continuing to search for others believed to be trapped.
Souleymane Bi, the deputy mayor of the sub-prefecture, stated that rescuers and local residents spent several hours pulling bodies from the collapsed mine. Injured miners are receiving medical attention. He appealed for assistance from organizations and individuals to aid in the recovery efforts.
Footage from the scene depicts chaotic rescue operations, with miners, many of them young men and women, extracting a body from the pit. Dozens of other workers were present at the site, some calling for assistance.
Government spokesman Evariste Ngamana expressed sympathy for the victims' families and assured that authorities are actively working to provide relief and aid to those affected.
Artisanal mine collapses are a recurring issue in the Central African Republic, where thousands of individuals are employed in small-scale mining operations. The work is considered inherently risky due to inadequate safety measures, often leading to fatal accidents.