Joseph Isangura
Rescue teams in Shinyanga District, northern Tanzania, are racing against time to save miners trapped underground after the collapse of the Nyandolwa gold mine in Mwenge Ward.
Officials say at least two people have died, while more than 20 remain unaccounted for.
District Commissioner Julius Mtatiro confirmed that the body of 28-year-old Magumba Ngondi was pulled from the rubble and taken to Iselamagazi District Hospital. “The body has been preserved at the mortuary, but search and rescue operations are still underway,” he told journalists at the scene.
The disaster struck earlier this week when the mine walls gave way, burying around 25 miners working inside. Since then, three people have been rescued alive and are recovering in hospital. However, the atmosphere at the site remains tense, as families gather daily in hope of news about their loved ones.
Emergency services, including Tanzania’s fire and rescue force, the Red Cross, and specialized mine-rescue crews from nearby operations such as Bulyanhulu, have joined the effort.
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Heavy machinery and oxygen equipment are being deployed, but officials admit that unstable ground conditions are making the work extremely dangerous.
Witnesses describe emotional scenes as relatives keep vigil near the collapsed shafts, some clinging to photographs and praying for survival. “We just want to know if they are alive,” one family member said, as rescue workers prepared for another overnight operation.
Mining accidents are not new to Tanzania, where artisanal and small-scale gold mining employs thousands but often lacks modern safety protections. The Shinyanga tragedy has already renewed debate over mining regulations and the balance between livelihoods and worker safety.
Authorities have promised a full investigation into the causes of the collapse. Early indications suggest that weak underground structures and unregulated excavation may have contributed to the disaster.
