Death toll climbs to 49 in bridge collapse at DRC mine

KINSHASA, DRC | Xinhua | The death toll has risen to 49 after a makeshift bridge collapsed at a mining site in southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), local sources told Xinhua on Monday.

Earlier, Lualaba Province Interior Minister Roy Kaumba Mayonde confirmed on Sunday that the incident occurred on Saturday at a Mulondo mining site, located in the Kawama area, with 32 deaths initially reported.

According to the minister, the “tragic incident” took place after “illegal miners” forced their way into the concession, which had been closed due to heavy rains and landslide risks. To access the site, the miners had built a makeshift bridge over a security trench. The bridge gave way under the weight of the crowd, sending dozens of people into the trench.

However, a report by the Service for Assistance and Supervision of Artisanal and Small-scale Mining, an agency under the DRC Ministry of Mines, indicated that the incident was triggered by a mass panic that “may have been caused by gunshots fired by military personnel securing the site.”

Provincial authorities have suspended all artisanal mining activities at the site and announced a formal investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the tragedy and establish responsibility.

Another incident occurred Monday in Kolwezi, the provincial capital, where a plane carrying a delegation from the Ministry of Mines, including Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba, caught fire upon landing, according to local media.

All passengers were safely evacuated with no casualties reported, according to local media. The delegation was heading to Kolwezi precisely to follow up on the investigation into the collapse at the Mulondo site.

Rich in mineral resources, the DRC continues to struggle with persistent illegal mining. Copper and cobalt extraction remain among the main economic pillars of Lualaba province.

The Mulondo site, located 42 km from Kolwezi, is also known for recurrent tensions between artisanal miners, cooperatives, and private partners, according to local sources. ■