Zamboye Gold Mine Collapse Kills at Least 107

At least 107 people were reported killed after a landslide and mine collapse struck the Zamboye gold mining site in western Central African Republic on 18/08/2026, close to the country's border with Cameroon. The disaster occurred on Tuesday afternoon at an artisanal mining area about 50 kilometres from the town of Baboua. Initial reports placed the death toll at around 100, while subsequent reports said 107 bodies had been recovered as search operations continued. The Zamboye site, also written as Zamboï, is a large artisanal gold mining area where hundreds of miners work. According to the Baboua public prosecutor, the landslide was believed to have been caused by the collapse of several underground tunnels in which miners were operating. Video footage from the site showed a large section of earth breaking away and moving through part of the open-pit mining area, burying people in its path. Miner Cedric Mbango told AFP that "the ground completely collapsed and buried people." Rescue workers, miners and local residents searched through the debris for victims. More than 100 bodies were recovered, with later accounts putting the number at 107. Many other people were reported injured, while survivors were transported to a hospital in Baboua. At least four of those killed were identified as Cameroonian nationals, reflecting the cross-border nature of mining activity in the area. Authorities opened a judicial inquiry into the collapse while officials in Cameroon and the Central African Republic coordinated their response. Grégoire Mvongo, governor of Cameroon's East Region, said the two countries were working closely to manage the aftermath. The disaster followed other deadly mining accidents in the Central African Republic during 2026, including a collapse at the Be-Mbari gold mining site near the Cameroon border in June, a landslide that killed seven people at Ngourroum in March, and another mining accident that killed 20 people in Gordi in February. Significance: The Zamboye disaster placed renewed attention on the risks faced by workers at artisanal and unregulated mining sites in the Central African Republic. Its location near Cameroon also made the consequences cross-border, with Cameroonian citizens among the dead and authorities from both countries involved in the response.