Death toll rises as rescuers search for survivors after CAR gold mine collapse

Hopes of finding survivors are fading after more than 100 people were killed in a gold mine collapse in the Central African Republic (CAR).

According to several media reports, the incident occurred on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at an artisanal mining site in Zamboye, near the border with Cameroon, trapping several miners under tonnes of debris.

Rescuers continued recovering bodies from the site on Thursday, August 20, as the death toll was expected to rise.

Local workers said rescue efforts had been hampered by a lack of equipment and technical expertise needed to reach those trapped underground.

“The rescue effort is being organised, but it is not up to the task,” Jérémie Ngbiri, a miner who lost his brother and a friend in the collapse, said.

Ngbiri said he witnessed some victims suffocate while people attempted to rescue those trapped beneath the debris.

The local Red Cross is assisting with the search, although officials have been unable to determine how many people remain buried at the site.

Red Cross volunteer Gervais Ganagoro said more than 10 bodies were recovered on Thursday morning alone.

“We continue to find bodies. Every hour, bodies are being discovered, increasing the number of victims,” he said.

Meanwhile, local officials and the Red Cross reported on Wednesday that more than 100 people had died in the disaster, with the final death toll expected to increase as rescue workers continue their search.

The Baboua subprefecture court said several underground tunnels where miners were working had collapsed, triggering a landslide that buried workers at the site.

An investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the collapse, identify the victims and establish who was responsible for operating the mining site.

Authorities are also investigating whether any criminal liability may arise from the disaster.

Mines Minister Rufin Benam Beltoungou expressed condolences to the families of the victims and warned miners about the dangers associated with unsafe mining practices, according to a statement from the ministry.

The collapse has renewed concerns about safety at artisanal mining sites in the country, where workers often operate in difficult conditions with limited access to modern equipment and adequate safety measures.

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