Archive · 21 Sep 2026
Sudan Gold Mine Collapse Kills Miners, Triggers Rescue Search
Several underground mining shafts collapsed in Oni, Sudan.
The shafts fell one after another while miners were working.
Reports said that 10 or 11 miners died.
They also gave different numbers for injured people: 21 or 30.
Rescue workers used available equipment and bulldozers to clear rocks and soil.
Some injured miners were taken to Port Sudan for treatment.
Difficult access made it hard to know how many people were still missing.
The collapse happened only days after another deadly mine accident in Sudan.
Informal mines are important for jobs and gold, but safety measures are often inadequate.
Reports said 10 or 11 artisanal miners were killed after five shafts collapsed in Oni, eastern Sudan.
Reported injury figures differed, with one account saying 21 injured and another saying 30.
Rescue teams recovered bodies, treated injured miners, and continued searching for people trapped underground.
The collapse occurred Saturday while miners were working, after adjacent shafts caved in successively.
The accident followed another deadly mine collapse in West Kordofan State and renewed concerns about unsafe informal mining.
- Who
- Artisanal gold miners, rescue workers, eyewitnesses, volunteers, and Sudanese state officials.
- What
- Five mining shafts collapsed, killing 10 or 11 miners and injuring 21 or 30 others, according to differing reports.
- When
- The collapse occurred on Saturday and was reported on Sunday, including September 20 in one report.
- Where
- The Oni mining area in Sudan's eastern Red Sea State, with some injured miners transported to Port Sudan.
- Why
- Adjacent shafts reportedly caved in successively; the articles also cited inadequate safety measures and deteriorating infrastructure as recurring risks.
Volunteer and eyewitness reports
State-linked reporting
Casualty figures
Volunteer and eyewitness reports
The Dar Hamar Emergency Room and eyewitnesses reported 10 deaths and 21 injuries.
State-linked reporting
A state official reported that 11 bodies had been recovered and 30 people had been rescued; the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company itself did not publish a casualty toll.
Rescue situation
Volunteer and eyewitness reports
The volunteer group said rescue operations were continuing for miners still trapped, while an eyewitness described efforts using available equipment and bulldozers.
State-linked reporting
The state official also said searches for missing miners were under way, but difficult access prevented a final determination of how many remained trapped.
- Reported deaths
- 10, according to the Dar Hamar Emergency Room, or 11, according to a state official
- Reported injuries
- 21, according to the volunteer group, or 30, according to the state official
- Location
- Oni area, Red Sea State, eastern Sudan
- Mine structure
- Five shafts reportedly collapsed
- Rescue status
- Bodies and injured miners were recovered while searches continued for people still trapped
- Medical transfer
- Some injured miners were taken to Port Sudan, about 300 kilometers away
- Mining sector
- Artisanal mining reportedly produces about 80 percent of Sudan's gold and employs more than 1.5 million miners
