Gold mine collapse in Colombia kills at least 14

At least 14 miners died on Monday when an informal open-pit gold mine collapsed in Santa Bárbara de Iscuandé in Colombia's Nariño department, and another 12 to 15 miners were reported missing, according to local authorities.

Why it matters: The municipality is reachable only by boat or small aircraft through dense forest, which complicates the rescue, and the collapse is a reminder of the risks in Colombia's many unlicensed small mines.

Data as of ERT News report of October 19, 2026, in Greek, read in full in translation; sourced to the Associated Press and to Nariño officials. Single-source chain, so the casualty figures are as reported by local authorities and have not been independently corroborated. The report was updated during this run from an earlier count of six dead. Developing item.

At least 14 miners died on Monday when an open-pit gold mine collapsed in the municipality of Santa Bárbara de Iscuandé in Nariño, southwestern Colombia, according to local authorities. Jorge Tovar Castillo, the departmental official responsible for disaster response, said another 12 to 15 miners were reported missing, and municipal authorities were managing the response while communication with the area remained difficult.

Nariño Governor Luis Alfonso Escobar said on X that the mine was an informal one and that saving lives was the priority. Santa Bárbara de Iscuandé is surrounded by dense tropical forest and is accessible only by boat or small aircraft, and officials were awaiting the municipality’s next update to decide whether additional support was needed.

Gold mine collapse in Colombia kills at least 14

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