20.10.2026 07:40
14 people died and 7 were injured in a collapse at an illegal gold mine in southwestern Colombia. While it is reported that other miners are also trapped under the collapse, search and rescue efforts continue. In the region, where there are fears that the death toll may rise, 13 people also lost their lives in a similar disaster in August.
After the collapse, local residents and search-and-rescue teams launched efforts to rescue the miners trapped underground. During the teams' work, the bodies of 14 people were recovered, while 7 people rescued injured were taken under treatment.
Colombia's National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) reported that the bodies of those who lost their lives and the injured were removed from under the rubble by local residents and rescue teams using excavators.
THERE ARE STILL MINERS UNDER THE RUBBLE
According to reports in the local press, it is assessed that other miners are also under the rubble. There are fears that the death toll may rise in the area where search-and-rescue operations continue.
Narino Governor Luis Alfonso Escobar offered condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and said, "Our current priority is to protect life, stand by our families, and ensure a timely response to this painful emergency."
A DISASTER ALSO OCCURRED IN THE SAME REGION IN AUGUST
The Narino region, where the collapse occurred, also comes to the fore with clashes between armed groups seeking to control revenues from illegal gold mining and drug trafficking.
According to security sources, illegal gold mining and drug trafficking are among the important sources of income for guerrilla groups and criminal organizations operating in the region.
Meanwhile, 13 people also lost their lives in a similar mining accident that occurred in the same region in August.