Six killed in illegal Diamond mine collapse in DRC
Six people died in a diamond mine collapse in the Democratic Republic of Congo over the weekend, according to officials on Sunday 7th May. The incident occurred on Friday5th May in the Diboko area of central Kasai province.
The victims were “unauthorized diggers who entered an area where mining is forbidden”, said Gaston Nkole, the province’s vice-governor. Despite the ban on mining for safety reasons, informal miners have continued to come to the site at night in search of diamonds.
The vice-governor confirmed on Saturday 6th May night that the death toll had reached six and an investigation into the incident was underway. Mining accidents are common in the DRC, where thousands of poorly equipped informal miners search for diamonds, gold, and other precious minerals.