At least seven people have died while working at a mining site named Bondo Seminary Territory in Bas-Uélé Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In the tragedy which occured on 15:30 hours on Tuesday, bodies of seven workers were recovered after the mining site collapsed on them while digging in search of gold.
Bas-Uélé Minister in charge of Mine and government spokesperson in the province Ursule Lelo Makungu revealed that three other workers were left seriously injured.
Makungu also indicated that the indicated death toll was provisional as there were more bodies buried underground with the search still on.
According to witnesses, about 11 to 12 gold miners were at the site before the tragic landslide occured.
Makungu further revealed that government had recruited about 1500 people to be deployed at the site to search for the missing bodies and possible survivors.
Meanwhile, Republican President Fèlix Tshisekedi has sent a message of condolences to the families of the deceased.
“Pending the results of the investigation carried out to determine the causes of this accident, the Head of State presents his saddened condolences to the families and loved ones of the deceased to whom he expresses his deep compassion in this painful circumstance” a statement released by the Presidential media reads.
