14 dead, 7 injured in Colombia illegal gold mine collapse

A tragic accident in southwestern Colombia resulted in the deaths of 14 people and left 7 others injured, according to local authorities. The incident occurred in the rural Chambero sector of the Santa Barbara de Iscuande municipality, situated in the province of Nariño. Search and rescue efforts have since been completed, announced Nariño Governor Luis Alfonso Escobar.

Escobar urged the national government, the National Mining Agency, and the Ministry of Mines and Energy to expedite the formalization of illegal and small-scale mining operations. He emphasized the need to enhance working conditions and safety standards to prevent such devastating accidents in the future.

The governor's appeal came in light of a similar mining accident that took place in August, claiming the lives of 13 individuals in the town of Policarpa, also located in Nariño. Informal and unregulated mining is prevalent in rural areas of Colombia, where operations often lack essential safety infrastructure, resulting in frequent and fatal incidents.