Authorities in the Central African Republic have temporarily closed the Zamboye artisanal gold mine near the Cameroon border after a landslide killed at least 49 people.
The disaster occurred earlier this week at the open-pit mining site, locally known as Moscow-RCA. While the official death toll stands at 49, local sources estimate that around 100 people may have died, with several miners still missing.
Victims From Three Countries
Mines Minister Rufin Benam-Beltoungou visited the site on Wednesday and confirmed the official death toll.
According to the Mines Ministry, the victims included 34 Central Africans, 13 Cameroonians and two Chadians.
Seven people who survived the collapse with injuries were taken to a hospital in Baboua, about 50 kilometres from the mine.
Families of missing miners have travelled to the site in search of their relatives, but difficult conditions have made recovery efforts challenging.
One relative, Roger Bana Nzala, said his family was unable to recover his brother’s body.
“We weren’t able to find our brother; he is still in the ground.”
Rescue Operations Suspended
Authorities barred access to the mine on Thursday and increased security around the area.
Rescue operations were suspended because sections of the mine remained unstable, while heavy rainfall had flooded parts of the pit.
Security personnel, including members of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner, were deployed to the area as authorities sought to secure the site.
Concerns Over Mining Safety
The tragedy has renewed concerns about safety conditions in the Central African Republic’s artisanal mining sector.
Civil society activist Crescent Beninga said mine collapses had occurred repeatedly and questioned whether enough had been done to prevent further disasters.
His comments followed a similar deadly collapse at the Be-Mbari gold mine near the Cameroonian border in June, where dozens of miners were reportedly killed.
Artisanal Mining Under Pressure
Zamboye is a large open-pit mining area beside the Kadei River, which forms part of the border between the Central African Republic and Cameroon.
Thousands of people depend on artisanal mining for their livelihoods, but the sector faces significant challenges, including limited regulation, poor safety standards and illegal mining activities.
The latest disaster is likely to increase pressure on authorities to strengthen oversight and improve safety measures at informal mining sites.
For families still waiting for news of missing relatives, however, the immediate priority remains the recovery and identification of those trapped beneath the collapsed mine.
