Central African Republic Gold Mine Collapse: Over 100 Dead, Hopes of Finding Survivors Fade (Videos)

Hopes of finding survivors at a collapsed gold mine in the Central African Republic were fading Thursday, August 20, two days after the disaster killed more than 100 people and left others buried under debris. Rescuers continued recovering bodies from the artisanal mining site in Zamboye, near the border with Cameroon, but local workers said the operation lacked the equipment and expertise required for a disaster of this scale.

“The rescue effort is being organised, but it is not up to the task,” said Jérémie Ngbiri, a miner at the site who lost his brother and a friend in the collapse. Ngbiri said he saw some victims suffocate as people tried to rescue them. Kenya Helicopter Crash Video: Aircraft Crashes in Samburu, Tourists Reportedly on Board.

Central African Republic Gold Mine Collapse Videos

: The death toll from a gold mine collapse in a western part of Central African Republic has risen to more than 100, a Red Cross volunteer involved in relief efforts and a local official said Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/9VkjXYKoHE

— The Associated Press (@AP) August 19, 2026

NEW: More than 100 killed after gold mine collapses in Zamboye, Central African Republic pic.twitter.com/s7JJluGXne

— Rapid Report (@RapidReport2025) August 20, 2026

Bodies Continue To Be Recovered

The local Red Cross was assisting with the search but could not say how many people remained buried, volunteer Gervais Ganagoro said, AP reported.

“We continue to find bodies,” he said, adding that more than 10 were recovered Thursday morning alone. “Every hour, bodies are being discovered, increasing the number of victims.”

Local officials and the Red Cross said Wednesday that more than 100 people had died in the collapse and warned that the toll was likely to rise.

The scale of the disaster and the lack of specialised rescue equipment have complicated efforts to determine how many miners remain trapped underground.

Investigation Into Mine Collapse

The Baboua subprefecture court said in a statement that several underground tunnels where miners were working had collapsed, triggering a landslide.

An investigation has been opened to determine why the tunnels collapsed, identify the victims and those responsible for operating the site, as well as establish any potential criminal liability, the statement said.

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

Artisanal Mining Risks

Artisanal mine collapses are common in the Central African Republic, where thousands of people work in small-scale mining, often with little protection.

Pits are frequently dug by hand and can reach several metres deep. Without adequate reinforcement, shifting ground can cause tunnels to collapse suddenly, burying miners within seconds.

Researchers and local media reported earlier this year on unsafe and unregulated mining associated with a rapidly expanding gold rush around Zamboye, where the mine collapsed.

A 2025 report by U.N. experts documented illicit mining in the area, including the involvement of armed groups and the use of extraction methods that posed health and environmental risks.

Victims From Cameroon And Chad

Some of those killed were from neighbouring countries. Cameroon’s Mines Ministry said both Cameroonian and Central African miners were believed to be among the dead and deployed a team to assess the situation along the border.

Among the dead were four Cameroonians and two Chadians, Abdon Adamou, the mayor of Garoua-Boulai, a Cameroonian town near the mining site, told The Associated Press.

The presence of miners from neighbouring countries has added to the challenge of identifying victims and notifying their families as the recovery operation continues.

Rescue Operation Continues

Rescuers and Red Cross volunteers continued searching the site on Thursday, with additional bodies being recovered from the collapsed tunnels.

However, officials have yet to establish the final death toll or determine how many people remain trapped.

The investigation will examine the condition of the tunnels, the operation of the mining site and potential responsibility for the collapse as authorities continue efforts to recover the victims.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 20, 2026 07:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).