Nine dead as landslide engulfs Colombian gold mine in Nariño

A landslide hit a gold mine in the rural community of El Chambero, within Santa Bárbara de Iscuandé, Nariño, on Monday morning, resulting in at least nine fatalities. Authorities estimate that about 30 miners were working at the site, so the number of missing or injured could rise. Firefighters, Civil Defense personnel and the Colombian military have joined the rescue effort, but difficult terrain and security conditions have hampered access.

The Ombudsman's Office has called for military aircraft to aid the operation and suggested deploying the Benkos Biojó hospital ship stationed in Guapi to treat the injured. The region has a recent history of armed-group activity, with a military operation against a dissident former FARC faction occurring just days earlier, prompting warnings that illegal groups could endanger rescuers. The National Mining Agency has not yet determined the cause of the slide or released an official victim list.