Gold Mine Workers Die as Rescue Access Stalls

At least nine people died Monday when a landslide hit a gold mine in southwestern Colombia. An unknown number of workers remained trapped as rescue teams struggled to reach the remote site, local authorities said. Officials estimated about 30 people were working there, and Vanguardia reported the preliminary death toll could rise.

The collapse happened Monday morning in El Chambero, a rural community in Santa Bárbara de Iscuandé, Nariño department, near Colombia’s Pacific coast. Alex González, Nariño’s secretary of peace and human rights, confirmed the preliminary toll to Noticias Caracol. Local authorities haven’t determined what caused the landslide or released a confirmed list of victims.

Workers Trapped, Rescue Delayed

Residents and emergency workers began searching for victims after the collapse. Firefighters and Civil Defense personnel joined the effort, while regional authorities coordinated assistance with the Colombian military. The workers faced immediate danger, and the mine’s remote location made reaching them harder.

The National Mining Agency said someone had reported a landslide at a gold mine in the rural Bellavista area of Santa Bárbara de Iscuandé. The agency hadn’t confirmed how many people were affected. It said its mining rescue team stood ready to assist after learning of the emergency, but difficult terrain and public-order conditions kept the team from reaching the site.

The agency remained ready to provide technical and operational support once security conditions allowed rescue teams to enter. Its specialized personnel hadn’t reached the site when the agency described the barriers to access. According to the agency, conditions on the ground would determine whether rescuers could get to the trapped miners.

Military Support and Security Risks

Colombia’s Ombudsman’s Office called for an urgent response and requested military aircraft to help rescue victims and transport injured people. It also urged authorities to activate nearby hospitals and consider sending the Benkos Biojó hospital ship, stationed in Guapi, to provide medical assistance.

The Ombudsman’s Office warned that illegal armed groups could put rescue workers at risk and called for safe access to the mine. Four days before the landslide, Colombian military forces reported an operation in Santa Bárbara de Iscuandé involving members of a dissident faction of the former FARC guerrilla group. Two minors were recovered, two adults surrendered, and weapons were seized, Caracol Radio reported.

The National Mining Agency cited security conditions and difficult terrain as reasons its specialized rescue teams couldn’t reach the mine. The agency said it would provide support once conditions allowed entry. The Ombudsman’s requests for military aircraft, hospital activation, and possible deployment of the hospital ship outlined proposed rescue and medical measures; the agency said its support depended on safe access.

Authorities hadn’t confirmed how many people the emergency affected, identified the victims, or established what caused the collapse. Officials’ estimate that about 30 people were working at the mine left the potential scale of the loss unresolved as search efforts continued.