More than 70 are dead after an informal gold mine collapsed in Mali, an official says

By BABA AHMED
Associated Press

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — An official in Mali says more than 70 people are dead after an informal gold mine collapsed late last week, and a search continues amid fears the toll could rise. The senior official at the government’s National Geology and Mining Directorate confirmed the details to The Associated Press and called it an accident. It was not immediately clear what caused the collapse that occurred on Friday and was reported on Tuesday. Such accidents are common in Mali, Africa’s third-largest gold producer. Artisanal miners — small-scale, informal ones — are often accused of ignoring safety measures, especially in remote areas.