As a result of the collapse of an illegal gold mine in western Mali, 48 people died

^{Photo: REUTERS}
At least 48 people died as a result of the collapse of a mine intended for illegal gold mining in western Mali. This was reported by The Guardian, citing local police sources.

According to a source from the agency, the incident occurred in an abandoned site that was previously owned by a Chinese company. Sources noted that the majority of the deceased are women. The head of an environmental organization stated that the search for victims is ongoing.

The agency emphasized that such incidents, which lead to the deaths of many people, frequently occur due to illegal activities at mining sites.

Mali ranks fourth in Africa in terms of gold production. The country has vast reserves of gold, iron ore, manganese, lithium, and uranium. In January 2024, a tunnel at a gold mine located in the Kangaba area of southwestern Mali collapsed. At that time, 73 people died as a result of the incident.