60 dead in Congo mine disaster: report

About 60 miners died when a shaft in which they were working collapsed in a remote part of northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a UN-backed radio station has reported.

The miners were 100m underground when the accident occurred on Monday (local time) in Mambasa territory in Orientale Province, Radio Okapi reported on its website.

Authorities in the Central African nation were not immediately available to comment.

Mining companies AngloGold Ashanti and Randgold operate in the region, which is known to be rich in tin and gold.

Hundreds of thousands of people in eastern Congo make a living in artisanal mines, where safety precautions are almost nonexistent and accidents are common.

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