Dozens Killed after Gold Mine Collapses in Mali

GOOBJOOG NEWS | BAMAKO: At least 70 have been killed after an unregulated goldmine collapsed in Mali, an official said adding that a search continued amid fears that the toll may rise.

Karim Berthé, a senior official at the government’s National Geology and Mining Directorate, confirmed the details saying there were around 100 people in the mine at the time of the collapse.

The tunnel collapsed at a site in the south-western Koulikoro region on Friday but the number of deaths had not been reported until now.

Officials said the cause of the collapse was under investigation.

It was first reported on Tuesday in a Ministry of Mines statement that estimated “several” miners dead.

Such tragedies are common in Mali, Africa’s No. 3 gold producer. Artisanal miners — small-scale, informal ones — are often accused of ignoring safety measures, especially in remote areas.

“The state must bring order to this artisanal mining sector to avoid these kinds of accidents in the future,” Berthé said.

Additional reporting by Agencies