Nine miners killed in Colombia coal mine explosion

May 05, 2026 / 12:41 PM

Sharjah24 - AFP: Nine miners died on Monday following an explosion in a legally operated coal mine in central Colombia. The blast was caused by a build-up of gas, according to an initial assessment provided by the authorities, later described as final.

The incident occurred around 70 kilometres east of Bogotá, in a region where similar accidents are frequent.

Rescue operation

Emergency teams managed to extract six miners alive. They were transferred to a nearby hospital to receive medical treatment.

The National Mining Agency said in a statement that six workers were rescued and nine died in the incident at the Sutatausa mine in the Cundinamarca department. It added that the explosion was likely caused by gas accumulation.

Earlier, the agency had confirmed that 15 workers were trapped underground following the blast, before their fate became clear as rescue operations progressed.

The miners were at a depth of around 600 metres when the explosion took place.

Cause and context

Mining accidents are common in Colombia, particularly due to poor ventilation in underground tunnels, especially in illegal mines, although this incident occurred in a legal operation.