‘Finding them alive would be a miracle’: 100+ killed in Central African Republic mine collapse

Bangui, Central African Republic: More than 100 people have died after a gold mine collapsed in the western Central African Republic, according to a Red Cross volunteer involved in rescue efforts and a local official.

The artisanal mine collapsed Tuesday morning in Zamboye village, in Nana-Mambere prefecture near the border with Cameroon.

Several survivors were critically injured in the collapse, said Gervais Ganagoroh, a local Red Cross volunteer involved in the relief operation.

The death toll could rise further as rescuers continue searching for people who remain missing or trapped beneath the rubble, said Bertrand Be Yangué, a member of the Zamboye youth council.

“Finding them alive would be a miracle,” Yangué said. “We are saddened and heartbroken to see young men and women perish after coming to the mines to save their families from despair.”

Authorities have launched an investigation into the disaster. The probe will seek to establish what caused the collapse, identify the victims and determine who was responsible for operating the mine, according to a statement from the prosecutor at the Baboua sub-prefecture court.

Footage from the site showed miners, many of them young men and women covered in mud, pulling a body from the collapsed pit. Dozens of other miners and workers were seen scattered across the large mining site, with some calling for help.

Mine collapses are a recurring danger in the Central African Republic, where several thousand people are engaged in artisanal and small-scale mining.

The work is often carried out with limited safety equipment and protection, increasing the risk of deadly accidents such as the Zamboye collapse.