KINSHASA, DR Congo – Six people died in a diamond mine collapse in the Democratic Republic of Congo over the weekend, officials announced on Sunday, May 7, 2023.
The tragic accident occurred in the Diboko area in the central Kasai province on Friday, May 5, 2023.
According to the province’s vice-governor, Gaston Nkole, the victims were “unauthorized diggers who entered an area where mining is forbidden.”
Despite the ban, which was implemented for safety reasons, informal miners have continued to visit the site at night in hopes of unearthing valuable diamonds.
“The latest toll, received on Saturday night, put the number of dead at six,” Vice-Governor Nkole revealed. An investigation into the incident is currently underway.
Mining accidents are, unfortunately, a common occurrence in the DRC, where thousands of ill-equipped informal diggers risk their lives to search for diamonds, gold, and other precious minerals.
The dangerous conditions and lack of proper safety measures often result in accidents like the one in Diboko, highlighting the need for more stringent regulations and enforcement in the mining industry.
