By Brian Kiprono - Reporter
Angola, May 25, 2026 - What began as a desperate search for gold ended in tragedy for dozens of families in Angola after an illegal mining site collapsed, killing at least 28 people in one of the country’s deadliest artisanal mining accidents in recent years.
Authorities said the victims, many of them young men trying to earn a living from informal gold mining, were buried when a landslide hit the illegal site in Bengo province, northeast of the capital Luanda.
Among those killed were 13 members of the same family.
Police said the collapse happened on Saturday in Nambuangongo Municipality, an area increasingly linked to unregulated gold mining activities.
The victims were aged between 18 and 40, although other reports indicated some were as young as 16.
Search and rescue teams spent hours digging through debris as relatives gathered near the site hoping for news of missing loved ones.
Police spokesperson Gaspar Luis Inacio confirmed that at least two people were still missing after the landslide.
“Search and rescue teams remained at the scene,” Inacio said.
Emergency workers continued combing through the collapsed mine on Sunday as authorities feared more bodies could be trapped underground.
While many families mourned, a handful of survivors were pulled from the rubble alive.
More from Kenya
At least three injured miners were taken to Bengo Central Hospital for treatment.
“All three patients are conscious and out of danger. There is no immediate need for transfer to other medical facilities,” hospital health supervisor Francisco Rodrigues told reporters.
Officials said four people were rescued from the site.
The disaster has once again exposed the dangers surrounding illegal mining in Angola, where poor regulation, unsafe digging methods and economic hardship continue pushing thousands into risky artisanal operations.
Illegal mining in Angola has traditionally been associated with diamonds, but authorities say the country’s growing push into gold and copper mining has fuelled a rise in informal extraction activities.
As global diamond prices decline and synthetic diamonds gain market share, more miners are turning to gold in search of income.
But the lack of safety standards and proper oversight has led to repeated deadly accidents.
The latest collapse is now raising fresh questions about mining regulation and worker protection in Angola’s rapidly expanding informal gold sector.
Ad
Ad