Sudan: Fifteen Miners Killed in Mine Collapse in Wadi Halfa Locality

Wadi Halfa – Sudanhorizon

At least 15 miners were killed and one person was injured after a mine collapsed in Sudan’s Northern State, according to the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company (SMRC) on Monday.

In a press statement, the company said the accident occurred at the Mohamed Tawfiq Mine in the Samna area of Wadi Halfa Locality, northern Sudan. The injured individual was transferred to a hospital for treatment, while the bodies of the victims were released to their families after the completion of the necessary legal procedures.

According to the statement, the company dispatched field teams to the site in coordination with the Mineral Economy Security Administration, the Mining Police, and rescue teams from the Northern State government and Wadi Halfa Locality. The teams carried out rescue operations, provided emergency assistance, recovered the victims, and oversaw field procedures until their completion.

The company’s preliminary findings indicated that the incident occurred after a number of miners entered the Mohamed Tawfiq Mine despite the fact that it had been officially closed by the authorities.

The company’s Environment and Safety Department had previously shut down the site and issued clear warnings prohibiting work inside the mine after technical assessments determined that it posed a significant collapse risk. However, several miners entered the site in violation of those directives, leading to the collapse of sections of the mine.

The Sudanese Mineral Resources Company reiterated that decisions to close mines are made only after thorough technical and engineering assessments, with the primary objective of protecting lives and preventing accidents. It urged all miners to strictly comply with the instructions of the Environment and Safety Department and refrain from entering any closed mine for their own safety and that of others.

Mine collapses regularly claim dozens of lives in Sudan, largely due to non-compliance with safety regulations by artisanal miners.

Sudan’s artisanal mining sector employs more than two million people, many of whom work under extremely harsh conditions, and accounts for around 80 percent of the country’s total gold production.

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