At least 32 people have died after a bridge at a copper and cobalt mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo collapsed under the weight of a crowd seeking access to the site.
The incident occurred on Saturday, Nov. 15, at the Kalando mine in the southeastern Lualaba province, according to reports from the Associated Press, AFP and Al Jazeera.
Lualaba’s interior minister, Roy Kaumba Mayonde, said during a press conference that illegal miners — often referred to as “wildcat diggers” — forced their way into the area despite restrictions.
“Despite a formal ban on access to the site because of the heavy rain and the risk of a landslide, wildcat miners forced their way into the quarry,” Mayonde explained. He added that the fallen bridge was a temporary structure built to cross a flooded trench.
Photos from the provincial office of the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) showed miners retrieving bodies from the trench, with several victims laid out nearby.
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A report from the Congo’s Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Support and Guidance Service (SAEMAPE), obtained by outlets on Sunday, Nov. 16, said the crowd panicked when nearby soldiers fired shots. The miners rushed for the bridge, which collapsed under the weight and pressure of the fleeing group, leaving victims “piled on top of each other, causing the deaths and injuries.”
The report estimated the death toll could be at least 40. Mining operations were halted on Sunday as recovery efforts continued.
The Kalando mine has been the center of a longstanding conflict between the wildcat miners — who belong to a cooperative meant to regulate small-scale digging — and the legally designated operators of the site.
Congo is the world’s top producer of cobalt, a mineral essential for lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles, smartphones and other electronics. The mining sector has received global scrutiny for hazardous conditions, child labor, and allegations of corruption.
AFP reports that CNDH provincial coordinator Arthur Kabulo estimated more than 10,000 informal miners operate at Kalando.
Human rights advocates are calling for a transparent investigation into the military’s role in the deadly chaos, as Al Jazeera noted, following reports of confrontations between soldiers and miners.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has experienced ongoing violence involving government forces and armed insurgent groups for more than 30 years.
