Gold mine collapse kills at least 14 in southwest Colombia

BOGOTÁ, Colombia — At least 14 miners were killed and seven others injured Monday after an unlicensed open-pit gold mine collapsed in a remote area of Colombia’s Nariño province, regional authorities said.

In a statement, the Nariño provincial government confirmed the casualties and said search and rescue operations were called off Monday night following the disaster near the small town of Santa Bárbara de Iscuandé.

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“This emergency once again highlights the risks associated with informal mining,” the statement said. “In less than three months, two collapsed mines in Nariño have killed 27 people.”

Surrounded by dense rainforest, Santa Bárbara de Iscuandé is accessible only by boat or small aircraft, making it difficult for emergency responders and humanitarian workers to reach the area.

“Entire families have been killed in this regrettable accident. It is very sad,” Nariño Governor Luis Alfonso Escobar said.

Hundreds of small-scale mines across Colombia operate without government permits, with some reportedly controlled by armed rebel groups.

In addition to its geographical isolation, Santa Bárbara de Iscuandé faces serious security challenges. Two rebel groups are reported to operate in the area, including the Jacobo Arenas Block, which comprises former members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) who rejected the 2016 peace agreement with the Colombian government.

Colombia’s Ombudsman’s Office called on armed groups operating in the region to allow humanitarian assistance to reach the affected community.

“All of our efforts must go towards protecting lives and tending to this emergency,” the office said in a statement posted on X.

The tragedy has once again drawn attention to the dangers of unregulated mining in Colombia, particularly in remote regions where limited infrastructure, difficult terrain and the presence of armed groups complicate emergency response efforts.

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