Authorities in Tanzania are racing against time to rescue at least 25 workers trapped underground following the collapse of a gold mine in the Shinyanga Region.
The incident occurred on Monday at the Nyandolwa gold mine, located about 200 kilometers north of the capital, Dodoma, while maintenance work was being carried out in underground shafts.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan expressed deep sorrow over the accident, assuring that security agencies are working alongside fire and rescue teams to accelerate operations.
Shinyanga Regional Commissioner Mboni Mhita, speaking at the site, urged the public to remain calm and support the rescue mission, noting that “no one expected this accident to happen.”
Tanzania, Africa’s fourth-largest gold producer, has faced several mining accidents in recent years. In January 2024, a landslide at a northern gold mine claimed 22 lives, and in 2017, 15 miners were rescued after being trapped underground for two days.
Rescue teams continue to clear debris and assess the stability of the site in hopes of reaching those trapped.