At Least 30 Dead in Central African Republic Gold Mine Collapse

At least 30 miners perished in a gold mine collapse in the Abba region of the Central African Republic on Tuesday morning. Authorities and local residents confirmed that other workers remain trapped underground.

A survivor described the incident as a collapse of a simple, hand-dug mine. Rescue operations are ongoing, but officials acknowledge that the chances of finding anyone alive are decreasing with time.

Local officials reported that rescue teams and residents recovered 30 bodies from the collapsed mine over several hours. Injured miners are receiving medical attention. "It is terrible, and we are asking organizations and all people of goodwill for help so that those who cannot get out on their own can be recovered from the shaft," said the deputy mayor of Nana-Mambéré prefecture.

Mine collapses are a recurring problem in the Central African Republic, similar to neighboring the Democratic Republic of Congo. Thousands of people work in small-scale mining operations, often lacking adequate safety gear.

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It is terrible, and we are asking organizations and all people of goodwill for help so that those who cannot get out on their own can be recovered from the shaft.