Six miners killed, 15 missing after gold mine collapse in southwest Colombia

OPA WIRE, Oct 19 (OPA) — At least six miners were killed Monday following the collapse of an open-pit gold mine in the municipality of Santa Barbara de Iscuande, Nariño province. Jorge Tovar Castillo, a regional disaster response official, confirmed the fatalities and stated that between 12 and 15 additional miners remain missing. Local authorities are leading the search operations, though communication with the site remains severely limited.

The site is located in a dense rainforest region accessible only by boat or small aircraft, complicating emergency logistics. Nariño Governor Luis Alfonso Escobar confirmed the facility was an informal operation. "At this moment our priority is to save lives, accompany families and guarantee an opportune response to this painful tragedy," Escobar stated via social media.

Small-scale, unregulated mining is common across Colombia, with many sites operating without government permits. Some of these locations are under the influence of armed groups, including the Jacobo Arenas Block, a dissident faction composed of former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) members who rejected the 2016 peace agreement. The presence of these groups has historically hindered state oversight and emergency access in the region.

Colombia’s Ombudsman’s Office issued a formal appeal to the armed groups operating in Santa Barbara de Iscuande to allow humanitarian aid and rescue teams to reach the site. Officials are currently awaiting further reports from the municipality to determine if additional state support or specialized equipment is required to continue the recovery efforts.