Colombia Mine Landslide Kills 14

A landslide at an illegal gold mine in southwestern Colombia has killed 14 people and injured seven others, a regional official said on Monday.

The incident occurred in Narino, a region bordering Ecuador where illegal mining is widespread and armed groups control parts of the gold trade alongside drug trafficking and extortion.

Narino’s Peace and Security Secretary Alex Gonzalez confirmed the revised death toll to local broadcaster Caracol, adding that the search for survivors had ended.

Videos shared on social media showed people and a backhoe removing bodies from the collapsed mine and transferring them to a canoe on a nearby river.

Rescue teams faced difficulties reaching the site because of the rugged terrain and the presence of armed criminal groups, the governor’s office said.

The office said residents had few alternatives for earning a living, with traditional small-scale mining having largely disappeared, leaving many dependent on dangerous unregulated operations.

“Communities have no other economic alternatives than these extremely risky activities. Traditional small-scale mining has practically disappeared,” a source from the office told AFP.

Mine accidents are common in Colombia, particularly at illegal and poorly regulated sites.

Residents in the municipality where Monday’s collapse occurred have also reported targeted killings by armed groups against people suspected of cooperating with security forces or rival groups, as well as those accused of stealing gold.