3 killed in wildcat mine collapse in Colombia

At least three miners were killed and up to 30 believed to have been buried when a wildcat gold mine collapsed in Colombia's southwest Cauca department, a Red Cross official said Thursday. The accident in rural Santander de Quilichao, Cauca, was caused by a landslide just before midnight Wednesday and authorities said they have little hope of finding survivors due to the tons of earth, mud and stone that collapsed on the site. Julian Prado, regional director of Red Cross rescue operations in Cauca, said, "there may be 30 people buried below the landslide. " Prado said when rescue workers arrived on the scene, they were only able to retrieve the three bodies. "And we know five people with injuries went to the hospital at Santander de Quilichao by their own means," he added. The mine had been shut down by state authorities. "Due to the complexity of the situation, Cauca's Red Cross rescue team was mobilized, bringing 15 volunteer members to the area, with four trained rescue dogs to look for the missing," said Prado. While the probability of finding any miners alive is slim, rescue workers set about removing the earth and rocks in search of possible survivors.