Sudan Gold Mine Collapse Kills 11, Injures 30 as Rescue Efforts Continue
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The Arab Post
- . September 21, 2026
- . Update: September 21, 2026 5:58 pm
A gold mine shaft collapsed in the remote area of Oni, in northeastern Sudan’s Red Sea state, killing at least 11 miners and injuring 30. Sudan Gold Mine Collapse, A state official confirmed the toll on Sunday, saying a search operation was continuing for those still missing under the rubble. Abdalhay Kharif Abakar, who worked in the area, said the collapse began Saturday night.
Official Response and Rescue Efforts
An official from the state-owned Sudanese Mineral Resources Company said 11 bodies had been recovered by Sunday, while 30 injured miners had been rescued and taken for treatment.
Search teams remained at the site working to reach anyone still trapped beneath the collapsed shaft. The company issued a statement expressing condolences for the lives lost but did not release further details on the casualties.
Second Collapse in a Week
This marks the second collapse at an informal gold mine in Sudan within just seven days. The previous Sunday, at least 82 people were killed when a series of mine shafts collapsed at a separate gold mine in the country’s west, an area under the control of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which has been fighting Sudan’s military for more than three years.
A Pattern of Deadly Collapses
Sudan is one of Africa’s leading gold producers, but its mining sector, made up largely of thousands of small-scale and informal operations, is plagued by weak safety standards. Deadly shaft collapses have become a recurring tragedy in the country, with similar incidents in recent years killing dozens of workers at a time. Authorities and mining officials have repeatedly warned against continued informal digging at sites deemed unsafe, though enforcement remains limited amid the ongoing conflict.
Gold Mining During The Civil War – Sudan Gold Mine Collapse
The latest collapse comes as Sudan’s civil war between the Sudanese military and the Rapid Support Forces enters its third year. Both sides in the war have relied on gold as a vital source of funding, and mining operations have continued even in high-risk conditions. The conflict has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions across the country. Monitoring groups have warned the death toll from the war may be higher than officially recorded figures. Rescue efforts are underway at the most recent collapse site, and questions are being raised about the safety of Sudan’s informal mining industry.
Summary: A gold mine shaft collapsed in Sudan’s Red Sea state, killing at least 11 miners and injuring 30 others, as rescue teams continue searching for people still trapped under the debris. The disaster is the second informal mine collapse in Sudan within a week, coming just days after a separate incident killed 82 people in the country’s west.
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