At least five people have died in a gold exploration accident in Raja County, Western Bahr el Ghazal State, South Sudan, officials confirmed on Sunday.
The incident occurred in the Dulu area, where a group of people working for a gold mining company were reportedly assessing a potential gold mining site.
According to Raja County Commissioner Addison Arkangelo, the men were working approximately 15 meters underground when the accident happened.
“Yesterday (Saturday), while they were trying to remove water from the site, the water began flowing back into the excavation area, causing them to lose oxygen,” Commissioner Arkangelo told Radio Tamazuj.
Five people were trapped underground, and only one survived. The survivor was taken to hospital for treatment, while the bodies of the four others were transported to Wau town for burial. One person was buried in Raja.
The commissioner dismissed reports that the accident was caused by a collapse of the excavation site, instead attributing it to the sudden influx of water.
Raja County, located in the northwestern corner of South Sudan, is known to be mineral-rich, though the quantity of its resources remain unclear.
In January, South Sudan’s National Minister for Wildlife Conservation and Tourism, Rizik Zachariah Hassan, ordered the closure of illegal gold mining operations in Boro Madina, Raja County.
Commissioner Arkangelo urged mining companies to prioritise safety measures for workers. “There should be safety guidelines for workers and staff. While accidents can happen, safety must be a priority,” he said.
This is the first fatal incident since gold mining assessments began in the area.
Several international partners in South Sudan have expressed concerns over the absence of gold revenue in the country’s national budget, despite reports indicating that South Sudan may be producing between 30 to 40 tons of gold each year.