SIX artisanal gold miners have died and 11 others were injured after a section of Mwakitolyo mine No. 8 in Shinyanga District collapsed early on Saturday morning.

The incident occurred around 11a.m. while the miners were underground in search of gold. According to eyewitnesses, the ground suddenly gave way, trapping several miners beneath the rubble.

George Chacha, one of the miners who witnessed the incident, said the collapse happened without warning. “The ground just started sinking and buried our colleagues who were still working under the mine,” he said.

Miners at the site blamed recent changes in mining methods—shifting from traditional circular pits to the use of trenches—for the increasing number of accidents. “If we remain silent about these recurring tragedies, we will continue to lose lives every day,” said small-scale miner Emmanuel Joseph.

Shinyanga Regional Commissioner, Anamringi Macha, who visited the site, confirmed the fatalities and said 11 others sustained injuries. One of the injured has been treated and discharged, while 10 remain hospitalised.

He added that the government has launched a thorough investigation into the incident to determine its cause and prevent future occurrences.

“We will implement stronger safety measures across all small-scale mining operations, especially here in Mwakitolyo,” Macha emphasised.