Four days trapped: Six miners feared dead in Turkana gold mine collapse

Four days after miners were trapped inside a gold mine gorge in Naduat, Nakalale Ward, fears are growing that the number of people underground could be far higher than initially reported.

The six miners are believed to have been trapped on Friday after the gorge collapsed, triggering a rescue operation led by local residents familiar with the difficult terrain.

Security officers, Turkana County Government officials and the Kenya Red Cross have visited the area as efforts continue to establish the extent of the incident.

Turkana County Police Commander John Tarus confirmed that the gorge collapsed and two people survived the incident.

“We do not know the exact number of people who are still trapped inside. The rescue efforts are still ongoing,” Tarus said.

The actual number of people missing in the Naduat gold mine incident remains unclear because members of the community have not come forward to provide the full number of those who entered the mine.

Tarus added that residents have been reluctant because of fears that the government could move to shut down mining activities in the area. That even some survivors who emerged from the mine did not want to be identified or cautioned and later disappeared, making it difficult for authorities to establish the true number of people trapped underground.