Bridge Collapse at DRC Mine Leaves Dozens Dead

Bridge Collapse at DRC Mine Leaves Dozens Dead
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At least 32 people have been killed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo after a bridge collapsed at a copper and cobalt mine in Lualaba province, officials said, Al Jazeera reported. The incident took place on Saturday at the Kalando mine, where the provincial interior minister, Roy Kaumbe Mayonde, said artisanal miners had forced entry into the site despite a safety ban due to heavy rains and fears of landslides.

According to Mayonde, the miners were crossing a makeshift bridge built over a flooded trench when overcrowding caused it to give way. A report by the Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Support and Guidance Service (SAEMAPE) said panic erupted after soldiers at the site fired gunshots, prompting miners to rush toward the bridge before it collapsed. While the provincial minister confirmed 32 deaths, SAEMAPE suggested the toll may be closer to 40.

The mine has long been contested between informal miners, a local cooperative, and the site’s licensed operators, reportedly linked to Chinese companies. More than 10,000 artisanal miners are active in the area, according to the National Human Rights Commission. Authorities have suspended operations and rights groups are calling for an independent investigation into the military’s actions.