Gold Mine Collapse: At Least 100 Dead

At least 100 people were killed in a landslide at the Zamboyé gold mine in western Central African Republic, near the border with Cameroon, Le Figaro reported on Wednesday, citing AFP and local sources. The accident occurred on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at around 2 p.m. local time (3 p.m. GMT).

Search for survivors still underway

The mine is located about 50 kilometers from the town of Baboua. According to ANSA, search operations for buried miners are still ongoing. The exact number of casualties could be higher, as several hundred diggers were reportedly in the mine at the time of the accident, according to Le Figaro.

One miner, Cédric Mbango, described the scene to AFP, saying:

"It's catastrophic. The ground completely gave way and buried people."

Laurent Ngon Baba, a local elected official from Baboua, told AFP on Wednesday:

"At this stage, it is difficult for us to determine an official death toll."

According to the public prosecutor in Baboua, the accident was likely caused by

"the collapse of several underground tunnels where miners were working."

The prosecutor's office has announced it will launch an investigation.

Gregoire Mvongo, governor of Cameroon's eastern region, told CRTV radio that Cameroon

"is working closely with our Central African counterparts to deal with the aftermath of this tragedy."

Frequent accidents in illegal mines

Le Figaro notes that landslides are common in the mines of this Central African state, whose soils are rich and sought after, often exploited illegally, beyond any state control. In mid-June 2026, a similar collapse occurred at the Bé-Mbari gold mine, also near the Cameroon border in the Nana-Mambéré department, killing dozens of people.

A video of the accident circulating on social media shows a section of the ground in a huge open-pit mine breaking away and burying numerous miners in its path. The photo of the Banengbele diamond mine, used as an illustration, was taken on May 22, 2015, by AFP photographer Patrick Fort.

Gervais Ganagoroh, a local Red Cross volunteer involved in relief efforts, said that more than 100 bodies have been recovered so far, while several survivors are in critical condition. Bertrand Be Yangué, a member of the Zamboyé youth council, confirmed that the death toll is over 100 and is likely to rise, as more people are still missing or trapped under the rubble.

"Finding them alive would be a miracle,"

Yangué said, adding:

"We are sad and heartbroken to see young men and women dying after coming to the mines to save their families from despair."

Evariste Ngamana, spokesperson for the Central African Republic government, expressed condolences and promised that the government

"is working hard to provide assistance and support."

Makeshift mines in the gold-rich region are often illegal and poorly constructed, with no safety standards, causing thousands of workers to risk their lives daily. Since the beginning of the year, dozens of miners have died in landslides in the area.