At least 14 dead in Sudan gold mine collapse

Death toll expected to rise as search continues for missing miners

People attend the funerals of victims of a gold mine collapse in Sudan's West Kordofan state, last year. Another mine collapsed on Thursday. AP

At least 14 gold miners were killed in a mine collapse in Sudan's Northern State on Thursday, a state news agency said.

The Sudan News Agency (Suna) said the collapse occurred at Jabal Al Ahmar mine, about 70km from the city of Halfa.

"The miners were working in search of gold inside the mine wells at the lower end of the site. Due to heavy machinery in the surrounding area, the site cracked and collapsed," it said.

The mortuary at Wadi Halfa Hospital received 14 bodies, mostly of young men. At least twenty other miners were injured in the collapse, with some of the more seriously injured transferred to hospital. The death toll was expected to rise as many miners were still missing, Suna said.

The governor of the Northern State, Al Baqir Ahmed Ali, directed local security committee to take urgent measures to save the miners at Jabal Al Ahmar, Suna reported.

"The governor contacted the executive director of Halfa and members of the local committee, through which he was briefed on the measures taken to mitigate the severity of the accident and to rescue and assist the injured," the news agency said.

Collapses are common in Sudan’s lucrative gold mining sector, where safety standards and maintenance are poor.

In 2021, 31 people were killed after a defunct gold mine collapsed in West Kordofan province.

Local miners at Jabal Al Ahmar have often protested against the entry of mining companies in the area, accusing them of plundering gold and polluting the land.

Gold is Sudan’s most valuable export, with mining one its biggest industries. Production crossed 18 tonnes in 2022, exceeding the record for highest annual output set in 2019, the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company said in January.

Independent gold mining has increased in the country since South Sudan separated from Sudan in 2011, taking most of the country’s oil revenue with it.