14 killed, seven injured in Colombia gold mine landslide
A landslide at an unlicensed mine in southwestern Colombia has claimed 14 lives, with search operations concluded.
At a glance
- Landslide occurred at unlicensed mine near Santa Barbara de Iscuande on Monday
- Remote location in rainforest made emergency access difficult
- Second major mine collapse in Nariño region in three months
- Armed groups control illegal mining operations in the area
A landslide at an unlicensed gold mine near Santa Barbara de Iscuande in Colombia's Nariño region killed 14 people and injured seven on Monday, according to regional authorities. Search operations were called off the same day. The remote location, accessible only by boat or small aircraft, hindered emergency response efforts.
The incident is the second major mine collapse in Nariño within three months, with the previous incidents claiming 27 lives combined. Regional officials attributed the accidents to the dangers of informal mining, noting that communities lack economic alternatives to these high-risk activities.
Why it matters
Nariño is a major illegal mining hotspot on the Colombia-Ecuador border where armed groups control clandestine gold operations alongside drug trafficking and extortion.
Original reporting
- Saudi Gazette — Latest14 killed, seven injured in landslide at Colombia gold mine
- Daily Tribune (Bahrain)14 killed, seven injured in illegal gold mine collapse in Colombia
This brief was written with AI assistance from the reports listed above and checked against our editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.