Tragedy has struck in Mali’s gold-rich Kayes region, where more than 40 people, mostly women, lost their lives after an illegal gold mine collapsed on Saturday.
The victims were searching for gold scraps in open-pit areas left by industrial miners near Kéniéba when the ground gave way. Conflicting reports put the death toll between 43 and 48. Some victims fell into the water, including a woman carrying a baby on her back.
This is the second mining disaster in Mali in three weeks, following a tunnel flood in January that claimed at least 10 lives. Mining accidents are common, as many diggers operate in unregulated conditions.
The collapse happened at an abandoned site previously operated by a Chinese company. China has invested heavily in Mali’s mining sector, but concerns are growing over environmental pollution and the country’s rising debt to Beijing.
Meanwhile, Mali’s government is locked in a dispute with Canadian mining giant Barrick, having seized gold bars worth $245 million and issued an arrest warrant for its CEO.
Authorities are investigating the latest mine collapse, with rescue teams retrieving bodies from the scene.
