Bridge collapse at Congo cobalt mine kills at least 32
A bridge collapse at the Kalando cobalt mine in Lualaba province, DRC, on 15 November 2025 killed at least 32 miners and injured dozens more. Panic reportedly triggered by military personnel at the site caused miners to rush across a makeshift bridge, which collapsed onto a flooded trench. Authorities suspended operations at the mine as calls grow for an independent investigation.
- At least 32 miners killed and dozens injured after a bridge collapsed at the Kalando cobalt mine in Lualaba province, DRC.
- Panic, reportedly caused by gunfire from military personnel, led miners to rush across a makeshift bridge that gave way.
- Authorities suspended mining operations and human rights groups have called for an independent investigation into the incident.
KINSHASA: At least 32 people were killed and dozens injured after a bridge collapsed at the Kalando cobalt mine in southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Saturday (15 November 2025), local authorities said.
The incident occurred in Lualaba province, around 42km southeast of the provincial capital, Kolwezi.
Panic Triggered by Reported Gunfire
Roy Kaumba, the provincial interior minister, confirmed the deaths and said more bodies were being recovered.
According to Congo’s Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Support and Guidance Service (SAEMAPE), the collapse was triggered by panic reportedly caused by gunfire from military personnel securing the site.
Miners rushed across a makeshift bridge built over a flooded trench, causing it to give way. Survivors were injured as miners “piled on top of each other,” the agency said.
Illegal Entry Despite Safety Ban
Artisanal mining in the DRC employs an estimated 1.5 to 2 million people directly and supports more than 10 million indirectly.
Local authorities noted that despite a formal ban on access to the site due to heavy rain and landslide risks, illegal miners forced their way into the quarry.
Calls for Independent Investigation
The Initiative for the Protection of Human Rights has called for an independent investigation into the military’s role in the deaths, while provincial authorities suspended operations at the mine on Sunday.
Longstanding Safety Concerns in Cobalt Sector
Mining accidents are common in unregulated artisanal mines, and the DRC’s cobalt sector — producing more than 70 per cent of the world’s supply — has long been linked to unsafe conditions, child labour, and corruption.
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