Six killed, eleven rescued in Tanzania mine tragedy

Shinyanga . Authorities have recovered six dead bodies while a total of 11 people were rescued after they were buried under rubble at a gold mine owned by the Hapa Kazi Tu group in Mwakitolyo Village, within Shinyanga District Council.

Assistant Superintendent of the Fire and Rescue Force, Thomas Majuto who is the Acting Regional Commander of the Fire and Rescue Force in Shinyanga, said here that the operation was completed successfully in the afternoon on Sunday, May 18, 2025.

"A total of 17 individuals were involved in the incident, six bodies have been recovered, and 11 injured persons were rescued," he said.

Preliminary reports suggest that 20 individuals were at the scene during the incident.

But Mr Majuto explained that the victims had not been registered in the site’s logbook because they were not officially recognised miners at the location. Instead, they were considered “illegal miners” who typically trespass into licensed mining areas at night in search of gold bearing rocks in contravention with mining regulations.

“These are individuals known by a rather unpleasant name, which I’d rather not mention....They tend to access licensed mining sites, especially during the night when owners are away, in order to scavenge for gold rocks. That’s why they were not registered,” he said.

He urged miners to adhere to all safety protocols, especially regarding proper entry and exit procedures at mining sites, including logging their presence in official records.

“Let us not be so emotionally driven by the pursuit of money that we forget the value of life, especially in hazardous areas. Report such areas to mine owners or government authorities to help safeguard lives,” he appealed.

Speaking from the scene, the Shinyanga Regional Commissioner, Mr Anamringi Macha, said that the accident occurred on Saturday, 17 May 2025, while the miners were working at the gold mine owned by the Hapa Kazi Tu group at Mwakitolyo Village, Shinyanga District Council.

He noted that five bodies were recovered on the day of the incident, and the sixth was recovered on Sunday. Of the 11 injured individuals who were rushed to hospital, one has already been discharged following improvement in his condition, while the remaining ten continue to receive treatment.

Several eyewitnesses, including fellow miner George Bujiku, called on the government to conduct regular inspections at small-scale mining sites, citing minor issues that often lead to tragic accidents.

“What I observed was that the rock face they were cutting appeared to have decayed from above, as if it was loosely suspended. Miners were excavating beneath it. Yesterday, there was vibration from the drilling machine, which triggered the collapse,” he explained.

Another miner, Michael Mzibamziba, urged the government to carry out further investigations at the site to ensure that no victims remain buried under the rubble, noting that some of his colleagues, with whom he had recently spoken on the phone, were still unaccounted for.

“From our knowledge of this mining block, it is usually crowded with miners in the morning. The number retrieved so far is relatively small, although we don't have an exact figure. What we’re asking is for a thorough examination of the site to be conducted so we can be certain no one remains trapped beneath,” he said.