At Least 32 Dead After Bridge Collapse at Kalando Cobalt Mine

Overview

• Authorities reported 32 bodies recovered and said search and rescue teams remain on site in Lualaba province.
• The deaths occurred when a bridge delimiting the mining area gave way as miners were crossing.
• Access to the site had been interdicted due to rain-related risks, yet irregular miners forced their way into the pit.
• A SAEMAPE report consulted by AFP says the presence of soldiers may have triggered panic that caused miners to pile up, worsening casualties.
• Mining activity in Kalando has been suspended, and a regional rights official estimates more than 10,000 artisanal miners work there as the Democratic Republic of the Congo supplies over 70% of global cobalt and many people operate in illegal sites.