Rescue teams are continuing to search the Zamboye artisanal gold mine in western Central African Republic after a sudden ground collapse buried workers and bystanders near the Cameroonian border.
The landslide struck on 18 August at the site in Nana-Mambéré prefecture, about 50 kilometres from Baboua. Footage recorded at the mine shows a large section of earth giving way as people gathered nearby.
Official toll remains provisional
The Mines Ministry reported 49 confirmed deaths: 34 Central African nationals, 13 Cameroonians and two Chadians. Seven injured people were taken to hospital in Baboua. Earlier estimates from local officials, Red Cross volunteers and mining representatives were substantially higher, reflecting uncertainty over how many people were underground.
Prosecutors said the collapse may have involved several connected tunnels. Recovery teams have struggled with limited equipment and specialist rescue capacity, and a final count has not yet been established.
Authorities temporarily closed the mine and opened a judicial investigation into the cause of the disaster. The inquiry is expected to consider possible breaches of mining rules, including allegations of unauthorised extraction and undeclared employment.
Artisanal mining provides income for thousands of people in the Central African Republic, but many sites lack structural reinforcement, protective equipment and emergency systems. The Zamboye collapse follows other fatal mining accidents near the Cameroon border earlier in the year and has renewed attention on safety standards in the country’s informal gold sector.