The FE – 63 killed in gold mine collapse in Sudan

At least 63 people were killed in a gold mine collapse in Sudan’s West Kordofan State, according to survivors and eyewitnesses on Wednesday.

A survivor told Xinhua by phone that the accident occurred Tuesday at the Al-Zaraa mine in the Al-Riqiq area in West Kordofan, reports Xinhua.

He said parts of the mine, which consists of about 10 shafts, suddenly collapsed, and estimated that more than 300 people could be trapped inside.

Another survivor told Xinhua that local rescue teams had recovered 63 bodies from the collapsed mine on Wednesday.

“Search operations are still underway for missing people trapped under the rubble,” he said. “Search and rescue efforts are facing great difficulties due to the depth of the shafts and the lack of specialized equipment.”

Meanwhile, according to an eyewitness at the mine, the collapse affected several adjacent shafts, burying dozens of miners.

Difficulties in reaching the bottoms of the shafts and a lack of appropriate machinery had hampered efforts to recover the victims, the eyewitness said.

Artisanal mining is a major source of income for many Sudanese and produces about 80 percent of the country’s gold. The sector operates at more than 800 sites across northern and western Sudan, employing over 1.5 million miners.

Gold is one of Sudan’s major sources of foreign currency. According to official statistics, Sudan produced 70 tons of gold in 2025. Accidents are frequent at mining sites due to inadequate safety measures and deteriorating infrastructure.