A partial collapse in a decommissioned gold mine in northern Sudan has killed 15 miners, the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company reported Monday.
The miners had snuck into the shut-down Mohamed Tawfiq mine, in Wadi Halfa near the Egyptian border, when “parts of the mine collapsed… killing 15 miners and injuring one,” the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company said.
The company, a government body overseeing mining activities, said in a statement that the accident occurred after miners entered a site that had previously been closed by authorities because it was deemed unsafe.
Rescue teams were deployed to the site, with Civil Defense teams continuing to search for possible remaining victims, it said.
A local eyewitness told Journalists that the collapse happened early Sunday and was so “extensive” that rescuers could not reach those trapped inside for some time.
Miners had ignored repeated warnings to stay out of the closed mine, the eyewitness said.
Traditional mining is a major contributor to Sudan’s gold production, but has long been plagued by accidents due to poor safety measures and deteriorating infrastructure.
Sudan has relied heavily on gold as a key source of foreign currency since 2011. The mining sector accounts for about 40 percent of exports, though activity has declined amid the war that began in April 2023.