Sudan gold mine collapse: At least 67 dead in unregulated West Kordofan cave-in

Cairo: A gold mine collapse in a remote region of Sudan has left at least 67 people dead, a medical organisation and survivors stated on Wednesday, marking the latest tragedy in a country gripped by devastating conflict.

Survivors reported that the collapse occurred at the al-Zara gold mine in Nuhud, a town located in West Kordofan province under the control of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have been engaged in combat against the Sudanese military for more than three years.

The Sudan Doctors Network, a medical organisation monitoring the civil war, cautioned that the fatality count could rise further as rescue teams continue searching for individuals buried beneath the rubble. The organisation noted that the site, an informal operation relying on unregulated labourers, lacked fundamental safety protocols and protective equipment.

A local administrative official told The Associated Press on Wednesday that 82 bodies had been recovered thus far. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to brief media outlets, added that dozens of workers remain unaccounted for.

The official explained that the cave-in commenced Sunday in a single mine shaft before propagating through connected underground tunnels. He noted that search operations have been hindered by the availability of only a single privately owned forklift at the site.

Earlier, two survivors contacted by telephone alongside the doctors' network had indicated the incident occurred Tuesday evening.

The Kordofan Observatory monitoring group reported that at least 70 miners were confirmed dead or missing at the location, which spans over 1 kilometre (0.6 miles) across terrain composed of fragile, sandy soil. The group characterised the workforce as informal and unregulated.

Khairal-Sayed Gabara, a survivor of the collapse, described the cave-in as “massive,” emphasising that necessary heavy equipment to clear the collapsed earth and debris was unavailable.

“We do not have the machinery to lift dirt and stones and search for survivors at depths of more than 30 metres (98 feet),” he said. “There were dozens of people working in the mine.”

Al-Amin Suliman, another survivor, stated that 60 bodies had been brought to the surface as of Wednesday morning.

“There are still people stuck inside,” he said.

Despite Sudan's status as a major gold producer, fatal mining accidents remain frequent across the nation, where safety regulations are rarely enforced. A mine collapse in 2023 caused 14 deaths, while a 2021 disaster claimed 38 lives.

The al-Zara facility is among thousands of small-scale, unregulated mines operating across Sudan, which remains mired in a conflict that has driven portions of the population into famine.

Substantial quantities of gold are routinely smuggled out of the country to finance the paramilitary RSF, which controls primary gold-mining zones across the Darfur and Kordofan regions, according to United Nations experts.

Sudan descended into full-scale civil war in April 2023 following the outbreak of hostilities between the RSF and the Sudanese armed forces.

The conflict has resulted in at least 59,000 deaths, according to figures compiled by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data, though international relief agencies caution that the actual toll is likely significantly higher.

AP