Badakhshan: Three gold extraction workers, including a father and his son, were killed after water engulfed an artisanal gold mine in northern Afghanistan's Badakhshan province, a police official said on Friday.
According to Emirates News Agency, the incident occurred in the Shahri Buzurg district when a sudden surge of water inundated the mine, as stated by provincial police spokesman Ehsanullah Kamgar. The victims were all residents of the neighbouring Yaftal district. Kamgar noted that it remained unclear how many other miners might still be trapped inside. Security forces were continuing efforts to locate and evacuate any possible survivors.
Deadly accidents are common in Afghanistan's informal mining sector. Non-standard practices, a lack of modern machinery, illegal extraction by unskilled workers, and disregard for safety precautions frequently claim the lives of impoverished labourers.