Remote Colombia illegal gold mine collapse kills 14 people, with up to 15 miners missing

Deaths and missing miners

Local authorities reported that 14 people died and seven were injured when the mine collapsed. The incident occurred in the rural Chambero sector of Santa Barbara de Iscuande municipality, in Narino department.

Jorge Tovar Castillo, a Narino disaster response official, said another 12 to 15 miners had been reported missing. He said municipal authorities were managing the response, while communication remained difficult.

Rescue efforts conclude

Narino Governor Luis Alfonso Escobar said search and rescue operations had concluded. The town is surrounded by dense rainforest and can be reached only by boat or small aircraft.

Escobar described the mine as informal in a message posted on X. He said the immediate focus was saving lives, supporting families and ensuring a timely response.

Mining risks in Narino

Informal and unregulated mining is widespread in rural parts of Colombia, where mines often lack adequate safety infrastructure. Fatal accidents occur frequently in such conditions. In August, a similar mining accident in Policarpa, also in Narino, killed 13 people.