At least 14 dead in Colombia mine collapse, highlighting risks of unregulated mining

• Rescue operations completed, Nariño governor says.
• Governor urges faster formalisation of small-scale mining.
• Ombudsman warns armed groups could hinder rescue efforts.
  

At least 14 people were killed and seven others injured after an illegal gold mine collapsed in southwestern Colombia, prompting renewed calls for improved safety standards and action to regulate small-scale mining, authorities said on Monday.

The collapse occurred in a rural area of Santa Bárbara de Iscuandé municipality in Nariño province. Search and rescue operations have been completed, Nariño Governor Luis Alfonso Escobar said, according to Reuters.

The governor urged the national government, the National Mining Agency and the Ministry of Mines and Energy to accelerate efforts to bring informal and small-scale miners into the formal sector, arguing that improved regulation could help strengthen working conditions and safety standards. 

The disaster prompted an emergency response in the remote area. Colombia’s Ombudsman’s Office called for the deployment of the necessary personnel and equipment, including military air support to rescue and evacuate injured people. 

It also urged authorities to activate the hospital network, consider sending the Benkos Biojó hospital ship from Guapi, and ensure the identification and dignified handling of victims’ remains. 

In its October 19 statement, the Ombudsman’s Office warned that the presence of illegal armed groups in the area could hinder emergency operations and called for safe access for rescue teams and humanitarian workers. The statement was issued while the number of victims was still being confirmed. 

The latest incident follows another deadly mining accident in Nariño in August, when 13 people died in Policarpa municipality, according to Reuters. 

The repeated disasters have highlighted the risks faced by workers at informal mining sites, where safety infrastructure and oversight can be inadequate. 

Illegal and unregulated gold mining remains a significant challenge in Colombia. 

A government report published by the Ministry of Mines and Energy in October, in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, identified 118,410 hectares of land showing evidence of alluvial gold mining in 2025.

 Of that area, 75% was associated with illicit or unauthorised operations. 

The report also found that 85.6% of municipalities where such mining was identified had a presence of at least one illegal armed group. 

The national figures illustrate the scale of the challenge facing authorities, although they do not establish the precise operating conditions or circumstances that caused the latest collapse.

The government faces pressure to improve oversight and bring informal miners into the legal system while addressing the dangers associated with unregulated mining in remote communities.