Colombia reports 13 dead in illegal gold mine collapse in Narino

August 20, 2026 at 09:11 PM2 min

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At least 13 people were killed and seven injured when a slope collapsed at an illegal gold mine in Policarpa, in Colombia's Narino department, on Wednesday night. Narino government secretary Fredy Gamez attributed the collapse to illegal mining activity at the site. Rescue workers found all those reported missing by about 2 a.m. Thursday.

Key Facts

At least 13 people were killed and seven others injured when a slope collapsed at an illegal gold mine in Policarpa, Narino department, Colombia, on Wednesday night.
Narino government secretary Fredy Gamez said illegal mining activity triggered the slope collapse.
Rescue teams including firefighters, excavator operators and local residents located all missing people by about 2 a.m. Thursday.
Four of the 13 dead were members of the same indigenous family, witnesses said.
Around 50 people, most from the Quillasinga indigenous group, regularly worked at the mine, local residents reported.

Mine Collapse in Policarpa

The landslide struck an illegal gold mine in Policarpa, in Colombia's southwestern Narino department, on Wednesday night. At least 13 people were killed and seven others injured, local authorities confirmed. Narino government secretary Fredy Gamez attributed the collapse to ore extraction that had undermined the mine's base. Authorities ruled out an explosion as the initial cause, though gas buildups are a common trigger at unlicensed Colombian mines.

Rescue and Victims

Firefighters, excavator operators and local residents searched the site until about 2 a.m. Thursday, when authorities confirmed all missing people had been found. Witnesses said four of the 13 dead were members of one indigenous family. Local residents told reporters that around 50 people, most of them Quillasinga, regularly worked at the mine.

Mining Accidents in Colombia

Fatal accidents are common at unregulated Colombian mines, often caused by gas explosions. Earlier this month, 19 people were injured in a similar incident at a gold mine in Marmato, Caldas department. In May, nine workers were killed in a coal mine explosion in Sutatausa, about 70 kilometers north of Bogota. Colombia has an estimated 200,000 to 400,000 artisanal miners, and many families depend on income from selling found metals and stones. Illegal mines in Narino are often operated by criminal groups to fund their activities.