At least 15 people killed as gold mine in Guinea collapses

At least 15 people were killed in a landslide at a gold mine in the West African nation of Guinea, according to officials.

The Tatakourou mine collapsed on Saturday, killing the miners instantly, said Sekou Biniou Simagan, a local councilor.

On Sunday, rescuers were still digging through the rubble, searching for

survivors.

The bodies of the 15 artisanal miners, who were all male and between the

ages of 14 and 40, were retrieved by Saturday evening.

They were buried in a mass grave after funeral rites were performed.

The gold mine lies outside the city of Siguiri, 800 kilometres from the capital, Conakry.

The mine attracts both industrial machinery and artisanal miners who dig with manual tools.