At least six dead after a mine shaft collapses in eastern DR Congo

At least six people were killed on Tuesday when a shaft collapsed in the largest coltan mine in the rebel-controlled eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Witnesses said the bodies of three women and three men were recovered at the Rubaya mine around 70 kilometres west of Goma.

They said others were seriously injured in the collapse which took place at an area of the mine known as the Gasasa quarry.

Relatives flocked to the mine seeking news of family members.

It is the second fatal incident at Rubaya in recent weeks. At least 200 people were killed in a massive landslide at the site at the end of January after heavy rainfall.

Thousands of artisanal miners work in precarious conditions in Rubaya's pits, most equipped with simple shovels and rubber boots.

The huge site accounts for about 15-30 per cent of global coltan production and has been controlled by M23 rebels since April 2024.

The Rwanda-backed movement makes around $800,000 a month from the mine thanks to a $7-per-kilogramme tax on the production and sale of coltan.

M23 has seized vast swathes of eastern DR Congo since its resurgence in 2021, exploiting a region rich in natural resources that has been ravaged by conflict for three decades.

Fighting has intensified in the Rubaya area in recent days with a drone strike on 24 February killing the M23 military spokesman Willy Ngoma.