Six killed in Sudan gold mine collapse

April 14, 2026 (PORT SUDAN) – At least six people were killed on Wednesday when an informal gold mine collapsed in Sudan’s Red Sea state, according to local sources.

The incident occurred at a site in the Keliti area, located in the Ganab and Aulib locality. It is the latest in a series of fatal collapses that have plagued Sudan’s unregulated mining sector in recent years.

Local sources told Sudan Tribune that the mine collapsed completely while miners were working underground. Six bodies have been recovered so far, but search efforts are being hampered by a severe lack of heavy machinery and civil defence equipment.

Witnesses described the situation at the site as critical, noting a shortage of ambulances and medical supplies to treat potential survivors.

Sudan’s artisanal mining sector employs more than two million people, a number that has grown significantly since the outbreak of war in April 2023. These miners work in harsh and often dangerous conditions across remote parts of the country, yet they produce more than 80% of Sudan’s total gold output.