At least 14 killed in collapse at unlicensed gold mine in Colombia’s Nariño region

At least 14 miners were killed and seven injured when an unlicensed gold mine collapsed in Colombia’s south-western department of Nariño. The accident happened on Monday near Santa Bárbara de Iscuandé. The regional government said search operations ended later that night.

The mine was operating as an open pit. Mud and rock debris made it difficult for rescue teams to reach the site, according to the Nariño government. Santa Bárbara de Iscuandé is surrounded by dense tropical forest and can be reached only by boat or small aircraft. Officials said the geography complicated access for both rescue workers and medical assistance.

Nariño Governor Luis Alfonso Escobar expressed sorrow over the deaths, saying entire families had been lost in the accident. The regional government described the disaster as another example of the risks of informal mining and said two mine collapses in the department in less than three months had killed 27 people in total. Those figures and assessments come from local authorities.

Hundreds of small mines in Colombia are reported to operate without government authorisation. In parts of Nariño, armed groups also earn revenue from illegal mining. Security problems around Santa Bárbara de Iscuandé add another obstacle to delivering assistance. Colombia’s Ombudsman’s Office urged armed groups in the area to allow humanitarian aid to reach the community.

Officials have framed the disaster as part of a wider problem involving safety oversight and livelihoods in remote areas. Their statements do not yet establish the technical cause of the collapse or provide a detailed account of how the mine was operated. The confirmed toll is at least 14 dead and seven injured; authorities have not released a definitive number of people who were at the site.