Trapped Miners Survive in Colombia

Eighteen miners who had been trapped on Thursday, July 17, in an illegally operated gold mine in northwestern Colombia were rescued this Friday by authorities in an operation that lasted more than twelve hours.

Defense Minister Pedro Arnulfo Sánchez praised the rescue:

“I commend the efforts of the public agencies, led by the Municipal Mayor’s Office of Remedios, the Government of Antioquia, and the Ministry of Mines and Energy, along with the operational teams and mining organizations that came together to accomplish this great feat in record time.”

What caused the accident?

The accident was caused by “geomechanical failures in a mine entrance associated with illegal gold extraction activities,” according to the National Mining Agency (ANM).