At least fourteen people were killed on Tuesday when an illegal gold mine collapsed in the Venezuelan state of Bolivar, the AP reports. At least eleven people were also injured. The authorities fear that the number of victims will increase further because there are still people trapped in the mine. “We are continuing the rescue efforts,” Governor Angel Marcano told local journalists on Wednesday.
The disaster occurred in a mine known as ‘Bulla Loca’, which can only be reached by an hours-long boat ride. Families of the victims are calling on authorities to send planes and helicopters to pick up the dead and injured.
Illegal gold mining has boomed since a deep economic crisis broke out in Venezuela in 2013. The earnings are good, but the conditions are very difficult and dangerous. Accidents happen regularly.