Kenya probes into gold mine collapse after 15 killed

Kenya said on Friday it has launched investigations after a tragic gold mine collapse left at least 15 people dead.



The incident occurred at an informal artisanal site in Rumos Hills, in Kenya's northwestern part, on Thursday evening, when a large stone fell and collapsed a section of the mine, burying workers alive.



Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration Kipchumba Murkomen issued a warning against illegal gold mining in West Pokot County, particularly commercial operations conducted without a license.



Murkomen has also instructed security agencies to arrest individuals engaging in unlicensed commercial mining, stressing that those involved will be prosecuted.



The crackdown follows a series of fatal mine collapses in areas in northwest Kenya, which have raised urgent safety and environmental degradation concerns.



Several community members engage in informal artisanal gold mining as a primary or supplementary livelihood, often without the necessary technical skills or safety equipment.