At least seven people were killed and six others injured on Tuesday, April 14 following the collapse of a traditional gold mine in the Ganab and Aulib area of Red Sea State, according to the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company, which confirmed the incident on Wednesday, April 15.
The company said the collapse occurred at the Keliti mine, adding that emergency teams were deployed immediately and worked with authorities to transfer the injured to Port Sudan for treatment. Civil defense personnel are continuing search-and-rescue operations at the site.
An eyewitness indicated that the mine, situated in a mountainous zone, caved in completely, raising fears that more miners may be trapped underground. Only those close to the surface at the time of the collapse have so far been rescued or recovered, with the total number of miners present still unknown.
Artisanal mining remains central to Sudan’s gold industry, employing more than 1.5 million people and accounting for roughly 80 per cent of output. The country produced an estimated 70 tonnes of gold in 2025, with traditional mining sites spread across more than 800 locations.
However, the sector continues to grapple with frequent accidents attributed to weak safety standards and ageing infrastructure.
Gold has become a critical source of foreign exchange for Sudan since the South Sudan secession, which significantly reduced oil revenues. The mining sector currently contributes about 40 per cent of exports, though performance has been affected by the ongoing conflict that began on April 15, 2023.