A deadly bridge collapse at a cobalt mine in southeast DR Congo has killed at least 32 miners. Authorities said the accident happened on Saturday at the Kalando mine in Lualaba Province.
The provincial interior minister, Roy Kaumba Mayonde, confirmed the death toll on Sunday.
He said rescuers had recovered 32 bodies and were still searching for more victims trapped in the flooded pit.
The bridge collapsed as wildcat miners rushed across a makeshift structure built over a water-filled trench. Heavy rain had soaked the mine, creating dangerous conditions.
Officials had already banned access to the area due to fears of a landslide, but thousands of miners reportedly forced their way in.
Local authorities said the Kalando site is about 42 kilometres from Kolwezi, the provincial capital.
DR Congo produces over 70 percent of the world’s cobalt, a mineral used in electric car batteries, mobile phones, and laptops.
The global demand for cobalt has fuelled massive illegal mining across the country, involving more than 200,000 people.
A report by SAEMAPE, a government agency that oversees small-scale mining, said the presence of soldiers near the site triggered panic among miners.
The agency said the mine has long been a flashpoint of disputes involving wildcat miners, a cooperative meant to organise operations, and legal operators linked to Chinese interests.
The report said the miners fell into the trench and “piled on top of each other,” causing multiple deaths and injuries.
Images shared by the National Human Rights Commission showed miners digging out bodies. At least 17 corpses were photographed lined up near the trench.
Arthur Kabulo, the CNDH provincial coordinator, told AFP that more than 10,000 wildcat miners work at Kalando. Authorities suspended all operations at the site on Sunday.
The tragedy again highlights the harsh realities of cobalt extraction in DR Congo. Years of allegations over child labour, corruption, and unsafe conditions have cast a dark shadow over the industry.
The country’s mineral wealth has also fuelled armed conflict in the east for more than three decades.