Thirteen artisanal miners, including several women and three children, were killed in southwest Mali on Wednesday after a tunnel flooded at an open-pit gold mine. The incident occurred near the village of Danga in the Kangaba Cercle, Koulikoro region, when the sluice gates of a muddy water reservoir broke, spilling water into the tunnel where the miners were working.
The miners, who were digging for leftover gold particles, were trapped as the flood overwhelmed the area. Taoule Camara, Secretary General of the National Union of Gold Counters and Refineries (UCROM), confirmed the deaths, stating that recovery efforts began immediately after the flooding occurred.
Artisanal mining is a common activity across West Africa, and while it has become more profitable due to rising metal prices, it remains a hazardous occupation. Accidents are frequent, particularly due to unregulated digging practices. Last year, a similar incident in the Kangaba Cercle killed more than 70 people when a mining shaft collapsed.
