KABUL: Dozens of workers at a copper mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo have lost their lives after a panic ensued among thousands of miners, Reuters reported on Sunday night.
Conflicting casualty figures have emerged, but an official from the Congolese artisanal mining authority stated that at least 49 miners died in the incident, and 20 others were severely injured and taken to the hospital.
It is reported that the miners were trampled after panic broke out, allegedly due to gunfire from military personnel stationed at the mine.
The Small-Scale and Artisanal Mining Support and Guidance Office of Congo stated that after the panic spread among the workers and a bridge collapsed, victims fell on top of each other.
The Human Rights Initiative, an advocate for human rights, has called for an investigation into reports that soldiers stationed at the mine resorted to gunfire after a confrontation with miners.
It is estimated that approximately 1.5 to 2 million workers are employed at the copper mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Dozens of miners killed in Congo Copper mine incident
