3 May 2013

At least 60 dead in gold mine collapse

6:06 am on 3 May 2013

Officials in Sudan say more than 60 miners were killed in the Darfur region when a 40 metre gold mine they were working in collapsed.

Rescuers were using hand tools to try to reach the miners amid fears that more wells may collapse.

The collapse in the Jebel Amir area of North Darfur happened on Monday, but word did not reach Khartoum until Thursday.

The BBC reports rival groups in North Darfur fought for control of the mine in February.

Gold is a key commodity for Sudan since south seceded nearly two years ago, when Sudan lost about 75% of its oil production.

"The number of people who died is more than 60," Jebel Amir commissioner Haroun al-Hassan said, AFP news agency reports.

North Darfur State Acting Governor Al Fatieh Abdeaziz told the BBC that 60 people were unaccounted for, but could not confirm that they were dead.

Mr Hassan said rescue efforts were hampered because of fears that more wells could cave in.

"We cannot use machines because if they came near, the ground will collapse," he was quoted as saying.

"People are using traditional tools and because of this, the rescue is very slow."