:format(webp)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/grupoclarin/EQ6QHLMMNJAZLL3EDGOWOKCPDI.jpg "At least 22 people died after a mine collapsed")
At least 22 people died after the collapse last Saturday of a mine in the Tanzanian region of Simiyu, in the north of the country, as announced this Sunday by the country’s president, Samia Suluhu Hasan, as well as local authorities.
“With great sadness I have received the news of the death of more than 21 people after a landslide accident at the Ng’alita mine,” said the president, before sending her condolences.
The exact death toll was provided by the region’s acting Fire and Rescue commander, Faustine Mtitu He, once 24 hours of rescue operations had ended.
“We have managed to recover all the bodies and there are no longer people left inside the mine,” he said at a press conference reported by the Mwananchi news portal.
The deceased were initially identified as a group of illegal miners who entered the gallery late on Friday before it became legally operational.
“While the mine authorities were dealing with another group of illegal miners, a second crew infiltrated the gallery, and hence this disaster,” lamented the president of the Ikinabushu mines board, Masumbuku Jumanne.
* With information from Europa Press