Central African Republic shuts Zamboye gold mine after deadly collapse

Authorities in the Central African Republic have closed an artisanal gold mine near the Cameroon border after a landslide killed at least 49 people, according to the official toll. Local sources say the death toll could be around 100, with many miners still missing.

The Central African Republic has temporarily shut the Zamboye artisanal gold mine following a deadly landslide that buried miners earlier this week.

Mines Minister Rufin Benam-Beltoungou visited the site on Wednesday and put the official death toll at 49. The victims included 34 Central Africans, 13 Cameroonians and two Chadians, according to the Mines Ministry.

Seven injured people were taken to a hospital in Baboua, about 50 kilometres from the mining site.

Families search for missing miners

Despite the official toll, local sources say around 100 people may have died, with many still trapped beneath the rubble.

Roger Bana Nzala travelled overnight from Bouar to Zamboye after learning that his brother was in danger. He said the family reached the mine early in the morning but could not recover his body.

"We weren't able to find our brother; he is still in the ground, he is buried in the ground," he said. "In the end, we are forced to return empty-handed."

The family had hoped to bring the body back to Bouar for burial but returned without it.

Rescue efforts suspended

Access to the mine was barred on Thursday as authorities closed the site and reinforced security around the area.

Rescue operations were suspended because the mine continued to collapse and heavy rains had flooded lower sections of the pit, making recovery efforts increasingly dangerous.

Security reinforcements, including personnel from the Russian paramilitary group Wagner, were deployed to the area.

Calls for action over repeated disasters

The latest collapse has renewed concerns over safety in the country's informal mining sector.

The Mines Ministry said the disaster highlighted the dangers of artisanal operations, particularly at sites with poor safety conditions.

But civil society activist Crescent Beninga said such tragedies were not unusual.

"This is not the first time we've seen a mine collapse," he said, questioning what had been done to prevent another disaster after a similar collapse at the Be-Mbari gold mine near the Cameroonian border killed dozens of people in June.

Little oversight in mining sector

The Zamboye site, locally known as Moscow-RCA, is a sprawling open-pit mine beside the Kadei River, which forms part of the border with Cameroon.

Mine collapses are common in the Central African Republic, where thousands of people depend on artisanal mining while much of the country's gold and mineral wealth is extracted illegally or with limited state oversight.

The latest disaster has put renewed pressure on authorities to strengthen safety standards and regulation before more miners lose their lives in search of income.