At least 32 people have died after a bridge collapsed at the Kalando copper and cobalt mine on Saturday in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), an incident authorities say was triggered by overcrowding and chaotic scenes involving wildcat miners.
The tragedy unfolded in the southeastern province of Lualaba. According to provincial interior minister Roy Kaumbe Mayonde, the mine had been officially closed due to heavy rainfall and a heightened risk of landslides. Despite the ban, large numbers of informal miners forced their way into the area, determined to continue digging.
In their rush to cross a makeshift wooden bridge built over a water-filled trench, the structure gave way under the weight of the crowd. Witnesses say miners fell into a tight mass, landing on top of one another, a crash that left dozens dead and many more injured.
A report from Service d’Assistance et d’Encadrement de l’Exploitation Minière Artisanale et à Petite Échelle (SAEMAPE), the government body overseeing artisanal mining, added another layer to the tragedy. According to their findings, gunfire from soldiers deployed at the site triggered panic among the miners, prompting a frantic stampede toward the bridge moments before it collapsed.
While Minister Mayonde placed the confirmed death toll at 32, the SAEMAPE report estimated that at least 40 people may have lost their lives. The exact number remains uncertain.
Arthur Kabulo, the provincial coordinator for the National Human Rights Commission, told AFP that more than 10,000 informal miners were active at Kalando, highlighting the scale of unregulated activity around the site.
Meanwhile, the Initiative for the Protection of Human Rights has called for an independent investigation into the conduct of soldiers present at the site, following reports of clashes and the gunfire that allegedly sparked the deadly rush. Rights advocates argue that understanding the military’s role is essential to ensuring accountability and preventing similar incidents.
As families search for missing loved ones and rescue efforts continue, provincial authorities suspended all operations at the mine on Sunday.
