Over 100 killed in gold mine collapse in Central African Republic

Bangui: More than 100 people were killed following a collapse inside a gold mine in western Central African Republic, near the border with Cameroon. Others were injured, while several people remain missing.

An official from a Central African mining association said the death toll had exceeded 100, while Cameroonian media reported that at least four Cameroonian nationals were killed. The collapse occurred at an artisanal gold mine in Zamboy, about 50 kilometers from Baboua, causing several underground tunnels to collapse.

The Public Prosecutor's Office in Bangui announced an investigation into the incident, noting that several people were killed or injured, while others remain missing, without providing an official death toll.

Rescue teams and local residents recovered 30 bodies from the collapsed mine, while the injured are receiving medical care. Search operations continue for miners believed to remain trapped under the rubble.

Mine collapses are recurrent in the Central African Republic, where mines are often operated through artisanal methods and outside regulatory oversight, increasing the risk of such accidents.

In mid-June, a similar collapse killed dozens of people at a gold mine in the Bamingui-Bangoran region, also near the border with Cameroon.