Three miners rescued after 20 hours trapped in Mara mine

Three small-scale gold miners have been rescued after being trapped underground for more than 20 hours following a cave-in at Ilasaniro Mine in Buhemba, Butiama District, Mara Region. Two others remain missing. The incident occurred on Thursday, October 8, 2026, while the five miners were working inside the pit. Speaking to Mwananchi Digital by phone on Friday, fellow miner Obadia Karume said the workers were carrying out their normal activities when debris suddenly buried them. “They were digging when the debris suddenly covered all five of them inside the pit. Rescue efforts began immediately, and it was not until this afternoon that we managed to pull out three of them alive,” he said. Mr Karume said the rescued miners were weak after spending hours underground without food, adding that efforts to locate the remaining two were continuing. Mara Regional Acting Fire and Rescue Force Commander Clementina Kihenche confirmed the incident, saying the force was working with other agencies and local residents to find the missing miners. She said the cause of the cave-in had not been established, although preliminary information indicated that debris collapsed and covered the pit while the miners were working inside. “We received information on Thursday morning that five miners had been buried by debris while working. We joined forces with local residents and other agencies, and three people have so far been rescued alive and taken to hospital,” she said. Ms Kihenche said two of the rescued miners had sustained minor injuries, while the third had no apparent injuries. All three were taken to hospital for examination and treatment. “The two were experiencing some breathing difficulties, while the third had no apparent problem. All were taken to hospital for further examination. The search for the other two is still ongoing, and I have not yet obtained their names,” she said.