Three Miners Missing After Flooding at Kayonza Mine in Rwanda

Three miners were missing this Sunday after water flooded an underground mine in eastern Rwanda, while eight others were rescued and taken to hospital, local authorities said.

The incident occurred on Saturday evening, Oct. 10, in Kinihira Village, Nkondo Cell, in Rwinkwavu Sector of Kayonza District, where 11 people were mining for minerals.

Oswald Ntagwabira, the executive secretary of Rwinkwavu Sector, told local media outlet IGIHE that the miners were employees of Rwinkwavu Mining Cooperation, a company engaged in legally authorised mineral extraction.

According to Ntagwabira, the workers encountered a source of water underground, triggering a sudden influx that overwhelmed some of them. Eight miners were brought out of the mine and taken to hospital, while three remained unaccounted for.

Authorities searched for the missing workers overnight in cooperation with police but were unable to locate them.

On Sunday morning, rescue efforts continued, with authorities preparing to use water-pumping equipment to drain the flooded area and allow the search to proceed.

The three missing miners were identified as men aged 23, 25 and 26. Police and other relevant authorities were involved in the ongoing operation.

Ntagwabira urged miners to exercise caution when working in deep underground areas where conditions could pose safety risks. He also called on mining companies to conduct proper assessments before deploying workers to potentially hazardous locations.

Authorities were also following up to establish whether the mining company had insurance coverage for its employees, he said.

The incident highlights the risks associated with underground mining, where sudden water inflows can endanger workers and complicate rescue operations.

Source: Igihe