Seven miners have been brought to safety after being trapped in a collapsed gold mine in Colombia since Monday night of September 22, officials announced on Wednesday.
Footage released by Colombia’s mining agency on X showed the mud-covered men climbing out of the shaft, located about 80 meters (262 feet) underground.
“The rescue operation continues,” the agency said, noting that 16 other miners remain underground and are expected to be evacuated within hours.
The incident occurred at La Reliquia mine in Segovia, a town in northwestern Antioquia department, roughly four hours from Medellin. The site is run by a local cooperative under contract with Canada’s Aris Mining Corporation.
Authorities confirmed that the trapped miners had been supplied with food, water, and oxygen during the ordeal and were able to stay in contact with their families and rescuers through a wired phone. The mine’s ventilation system also remained operational throughout the rescue effort.
Mining accidents are common in Colombia, especially in unlicensed operations. Just a day earlier, on Sunday, September 21, seven miners were found dead in an illegal gold mine in the country’s southwest, a region where armed groups are active in both gold mining and cocaine trafficking.
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