A bridge collapse at a copper and cobalt mine in southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed between 32 and 40 lives, with conflicting official reports on the exact toll. The disaster struck the Kalando mine in Lualaba province after thousands of unauthorized miners defied safety restrictions during heavy rainfall and landslide warnings. Provincial interior minister Roy Mayonde confirmed that illegal diggers forced entry to the flooded quarry despite formal prohibitions.
According to government mining services, military gunfire triggered panic among workers who rushed toward a makeshift bridge spanning a water-filled trench. The structure gave way under the weight of fleeing miners, leaving victims crushed beneath one another. Provincial coordinator Arthur Kabulo estimated more than 10,000 wildcat miners were operating at the disputed site, which has been suspended pending investigation.
Rights groups have demanded an independent probe into soldiers' conduct, while authorities acknowledged longstanding tensions between informal miners, organizing cooperatives, and legal operators with reported Chinese connections. The central African nation produces most global cobalt supplies, predominantly controlled by Chinese firms, though the industry faces persistent allegations of hazardous working conditions and exploitation.
According to government mining services, military gunfire triggered panic among workers who rushed toward a makeshift bridge spanning a water-filled trench. The structure gave way under the weight of fleeing miners, leaving victims crushed beneath one another. Provincial coordinator Arthur Kabulo estimated more than 10,000 wildcat miners were operating at the disputed site, which has been suspended pending investigation.
Rights groups have demanded an independent probe into soldiers' conduct, while authorities acknowledged longstanding tensions between informal miners, organizing cooperatives, and legal operators with reported Chinese connections. The central African nation produces most global cobalt supplies, predominantly controlled by Chinese firms, though the industry faces persistent allegations of hazardous working conditions and exploitation.
