Five Dead After Gold Mine Collapse in Transmara South as Rescue Operation Continues
News Updated: 22 July 2026 16:10 EAT
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At least five people have been confirmed dead after a gold mine collapsed at Kilima Pesa in Lolgorian, Transmara South, Narok County, on Wednesday, with authorities warning that an unknown number of miners are still trapped underground as rescue efforts continue.
Transmara South Deputy County Commissioner Stephen Odeke said emergency responders recovered five bodies from the collapsed mine, while rescue teams remained at the scene searching for survivors believed to be trapped beneath the debris.
Odeke said the operation has been hampered by the lack of specialised underground rescue equipment, making it difficult for responders to safely access the collapsed tunnels and determine the exact number of people still trapped.
The government has since deployed a specialised mining rescue team to the area to reinforce local emergency personnel and speed up search efforts. The team is expected to use specialised underground detection equipment to locate survivors and assess the stability of the mine.
Police have sealed off the mining site to allow rescue operations to proceed without interference and to prevent members of the public from entering the unstable tunnels, which remain at risk of further collapse.
The bodies of the five victims have been moved to the Lolgorian Sub-County Hospital mortuary pending identification and post-mortem examinations as investigations into the incident continue.
Authorities have not yet established how many miners were inside the underground shaft when it collapsed, raising fears that the death toll could rise as rescue teams continue clearing debris.
Kilima Pesa is among several artisanal gold mining sites in Narok County where local residents rely on small-scale mining as a source of income despite the hazardous working conditions associated with informal mining operations.
The latest tragedy has renewed concerns over safety standards in Kenya's artisanal mining sector, where miners often work in deep, unsupported tunnels with limited protective equipment and inadequate emergency preparedness.
Officials said rescue operations will continue until all those believed to have been trapped underground are accounted for, while investigations are expected to determine the cause of the collapse and whether safety regulations were followed at the site.
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FELIX MAKONA
FACT FINDER AND DATA DRIVEN JOURNALIST. DATA MINING AT IT'S BEST. GET FACTS RANGING FROM MATTERS DISABILITY AND INCLUSION, POLITICS, ECONOMY, SPORTS AND GENERAL NEWS AROUND THE WORLD