Overview

• A ventilation tunnel at the El Miñón mine in Remedios collapsed on July 17 after geomechanical and mechanical failures sealed off the main exit
• Rescuers have established audio contact with some of the 18 workers but have not confirmed their physical condition
• The Ministerio de Minas y Energía activated full emergency protocols and deployed specialized teams alongside local authorities
• Operations are complicated by unstable soils, toxic gas build-up and large volumes of debris that slow clearance
• The unauthorized mine lacked a valid title and environmental license and is linked to illicit gold extraction that helps finance armed groups such as the Clan del Golfo