A bridge collapsed at a cobalt mine in southeast Democratic Republic of Congo killing at least 32 wildcat miners, a regional government official said on Sunday. The bridge came down onto a flooded zone at the mine in Lualaba province, Roy Kaumba Mayonde, the provincial interior minister, told reporters. He said 32 bodies had been recovered and more were being searched for.

OVER 70 KILLED IN CONGO AFTER A BRIDGE COLLAPSED AT A COPPER MINE Panic broke out after reported gunfire. Workers ran for their lives. The structure gave out under chaos and fear.⛏️ These mines feed the world's tech giants while Congolese workers face violence. twitter/YKEVNizkeq

- Ryan Rozbiani (@RyanRozbiani) November 16, 2025

Absolutely terrifying – a massive landslide at an artisanal mine has reportedly killed at least 80 people. November 15, 2025Kawama, Lualaba Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). twitter/xfLZgy8Pg3

- Weather Monitor (@WeatherMonitors) November 16, 2025

The DRC produces more than 70 per cent of the world supply of cobalt, which is essential for batteries used in electric cars, many laptop computers and mobile phones.

#BREAKING DR Congo Mine TragedyAt least 32 miners died after a makeshift bridge collapsed at a cobalt mine in Lualaba, AFP reports. Heavy rains triggered a landslide. Death toll may reach 49+, with dozens missing.#DRC #Congo #BreakingNews twitter/ReVolvAtKI

- Mritunjay Kumar (@Mritunjayrocks) November 17, 2025

More than 200,000 people are estimated to be working in giant illegal cobalt mines in the giant central African country.

Local authorities said the bridge collapsed at the Kalando mine, about 42 kilometres (26 miles) southeast of the Lualaba provincial capital, Kolwezi.

"Despite a formal ban on access to the site because of the heavy rain and the risk of a landslide, wildcat miners forced their way into the quarry," said Mayonde. He said that miners rushing across the makeshift bridge, built to get across a flooded trench, made it collapse.

A report by the SAEMAPE government agency which monitors and helps mining cooperatives said that the presence of soldiers at the Kalando mine had caused a panic. The miners who fell "piled on top of each other causing the deaths and injuries", the report said.

CNDH provincial coordinator Arthur Kabulo told AFP that more than 10,000 wildcat miners operated at Kalando. Provincial authorities suspended operations at the site on Sunday.

(With inputs from AFP)

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