Authorities reported that the mine had previously been ordered closed due to safety risks.

At least 11 people died and seven were injured following the collapse of a gold mine in the Houeid area, between the cities of Atbara and Haya, in the Red Sea state of northeastern Sudan.

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The accident occurred at the Kersh Al-Feel mine, as confirmed by the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company (SMRC) in an official statement. Although the exact date of the collapse was not specified, authorities reported that the mine had previously been ordered closed due to safety risks, raising questions about the effectiveness of regulatory measures.

The affected mine operated under an artisanal mining model, where workers dig tunnels without proper technical studies or adequate infrastructure, using manual tools and lacking ventilation or structural support systems. This practice, which employs 1.5 million people in Sudan and accounts for 80% of the country’s gold production (64 tons in 2024), is frequently associated with fatal accidents due to its informal nature and lack of oversight.

While authorities report 11 deaths, local organizations and resistance committees estimate the toll to be as high as 50 fatalities due to suffocation, attributing the discrepancy to unregistered miners being excluded from official counts. The mine’s remote location and poor road conditions delayed emergency response efforts, worsening the aftermath of the collapse. Additionally, administrative confusion between the Red Sea and Nile River states complicated initial rescue operations.

This is not an isolated incident: a similar collapse occurred in the same area in April 2025, and previous years have seen accidents with dozens of casualties. Despite promises from the SMRC to strengthen controls and improve safety standards, civil organizations denounce the lack of concrete actions to prevent such tragedies. Artisanal mining remains the only source of income for thousands of families amid an economic crisis and civil war.

Gold mining in Sudan is closely tied to the armed conflict between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who use mineral resources to fund their operations. The Kersh Al-Feel mine is located in an area controlled by the Army, where instability and corruption hinder the enforcement of regulations. Furthermore, much of the extracted gold is illegally exported to the United Arab Emirates, evading fiscal controls.

Following the accident, the SMRC urged compliance with safety regulations but announced no specific sanctions or action plans. Organizations are demanding independent investigations, compensation for affected families, and structural reforms, including formalizing the sector and increasing oversight of foreign companies operating in the region.

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