A devastating gold mine collapse in the western Central African Republic has killed more than 100 people, with rescuers continuing efforts to locate miners trapped beneath the rubble. The accident occurred Tuesday morning at an artisanal gold mine in Zamboye village, in the Nana-Mambere prefecture near the Cameroon border.
The rescue operation remains underway, but hopes of finding survivors are fading. Florian Gaguende, one of the miners who survived the collapse, said teams were still searching for people believed to be trapped underground.
Red Cross volunteer Gervais Ganagoroh said several survivors sustained critical injuries. Local official Bertrand Be Yangue warned that the death toll could rise further because several miners remain missing and others may still be buried under the collapsed structure.
Calling the incident a heartbreaking tragedy, Yangue said the victims included young men and women who had gone to the mine hoping to earn money and support their families.
Authorities have opened an investigation into the disaster. The prosecutor at the Baboua sub-prefecture court said the probe will seek to establish what caused the collapse, identify the victims and determine who was responsible for running the mining operation. Investigators will also examine whether criminal liability is involved.
Videos from the scene showed mud-covered miners working to recover bodies from the collapsed pit, while dozens of other workers gathered around the site and called for assistance.
Artisanal mining accidents are relatively common in the Central African Republic. Thousands of people work in small-scale mining operations, where limited safety equipment and inadequate protection often expose workers to serious risks.