The workers were 500 meters below the surface of the earth
Events and photos: The number of victims of a mine explosion in Colombia has risen to 12
The authorities gave no indication that the mine in question was being operated as part of an illegal operation.
AFP
Ambulances evacuate the victims and the injured.
AFP
Colombian President Ivan Duque.
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A number of people are watching the process of rescuing the victims from the mine.
AFP
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Colombian President Ivan Duque said, last night, that 12 miners were killed in an explosion that occurred in a coal mine in the province of Boyaca in the center of the country.
The explosion occurred in the mine located in the city of Tobaga, "about 220 km north-east of Bogota".
Local media station Karakol reported that the workers were 500 meters below the surface when the explosion occurred due to a buildup of methane.
Serious accidents are frequent in Colombian mines, which often lack safety means.
Illegal mining activities in particular are a problem in several Latin American countries.
The authorities gave no indication that the mine in question was being operated as part of an illegal operation.
On June 2, at least two people were killed and seven others trapped, after an explosion inside a coal mine in Socha, central Colombia, the National Mines Agency said Thursday.
Three wounded people were also rescued at the site where a number of police and Red Cross members gathered, as well as engineers to participate in the search.
The agency said in a statement that the accident may have been caused by the accumulation of methane and coal dust in the Diamante 5 mine.
The country counted 171 victims of mining sector accidents in 2020, compared to 82 in the previous year.
• Illegal mining activities in particular are a problem in several Latin American countries.
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