LUSAKA, Zambia — Tragedy struck in Zambia on Wednesday when eight miners lost their lives due to a landslide at an open-pit copper mine, according to local police reports.

One miner remains unaccounted for while two others managed to survive amidst the devastation, revealed provincial police commissioner Peacewell Mweemba. Reports from state media indicate that six of the deceased miners were from the same family, underscoring the personal loss inflicted on the community.

The miners involved were not affiliated with the mining company; they were part of an unauthorized group illegally mining for copper. This practice is not uncommon in Zambia, where informal mining operations frequently take place despite the risks involved.

This incident adds to a troubling pattern of fatal accidents affecting informal miners in Zambia’s copper-rich regions. Earlier in the month, ten informal miners lost their lives in a similar collapse in Mumbwa, located in central Zambia. In August, nine men died at a quarry close to Lusaka when a massive mound of earth gave way, trapping them.

The dangers associated with such operations were tragically highlighted last December when over thirty informal miners died at another open-pit mine in Chingola. Heavy rainfall led to landslides that engulfed the tunnels where they were working, illustrating the severe hazards that accompany informal mining activities.

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema recently remarked on the situation, declaring that the number of fatalities among miners was “unacceptable” and calling for increased safety measures and regulation in the sector.