Sudan officials: 31 bodies found in search of collapsed mine

CAIRO – Sudanese authorities said Wednesday rescue workers retrieved at least 31 bodies from a collapsed gold mine in West Kordofan province.

The country’s state-run mining company said workers and villagers were still searching the Darsaya mine for more bodies or possible survivors.

The mine is located in the Fuja village, around 435 miles south of the capital of Khartoum.

The defunct mine collapsed earlier this week, killing at least 38 people, the company said Tuesday.

It posted images on Facebook showing villagers gathering at the site as at least two dredgers worked to find possible survivors and bodies.

The Sudanese Mineral Resources Limited Company said the mine was not functional but local miners returned to work there after security forces guarding the site left the area.

Collapses are common in Sudan’s gold mines, where safety standards are not widely in effect.

Sudan is a major gold producer with numerous mines scattered across the country. The industry, however, suffered from years of mismanagement and corruption.