Dozens Killed in Gold Mine Collapse in Mali

At least 48 people, mostly women, were killed on Saturday when an illegal gold mining site collapsed in western Mali, near the border with Senegal.

According to multiple local sources, the tragedy occurred in a small village called Bilal Koto in the Kayes region, an area known for its numerous gold mines that locals exploit illegally. Most of these mines were abandoned by foreign companies.

Local sources reported that a large machine used for digging and transporting rocks overturned on a small mine, where a group of women were searching for gold using traditional methods, sifting through gold-laden soil in a large water pond.

The sources added that the tragedy took place in an abandoned site previously operated by a Chinese company, which left after its profits declined. Local villagers then took over the site, using primitive methods and without adhering to standard mining safety measures.

A local source stated that due to the collapse, “some victims fell into the water, including a woman carrying her child on her back.”

The incident resulted in the immediate death of 48 people, most of whom were pregnant or nursing women from nearby villages, where gold mining has been an economic activity practiced for centuries.

At least 10 other people sustained serious injuries and were transported to the hospital for treatment.