At least 13 workers have been killed and another seven injured following a landslide at an unlicensed mine in southern Colombia, local officials have stated. The incident occurred at an open-air artisanal gold mine on Wednesday afternoon.
Witnesses described hearing an explosion moments before the workers below became trapped. Emergency services and local residents used diggers to retrieve the bodies.
Among the 13 fatalities, four were members of the same indigenous family, witnesses reported. Residents indicated that approximately 50 people, many from the Quillacinga indigenous group, regularly worked at the mine near Policarpa in southern Nariño province.
Deadly accidents are not uncommon in Colombia, particularly in unlicensed mines where locals extract precious metals without official oversight. It is estimated that between 200,000 and 400,000 people engage in artisanal mining in Colombia, with many families relying on this income.