At least 18 miners were trapped following a “serious accident” at a gold mine in northwest Colombia, the government said Thursday.

The Ministry of Mines and Energy said the miners are “presumed alive,” without detailing the cause of the incident.

Minister Edwin Palma said on X that all emergency protocols had been activated to locate them.

Yarley Erasmo Marin, a representative of a local miners’ association, told AFP that a “mechanical failure” caused a collapse of a structure designed to prevent landslides, blocking the mine’s main exit.

The mayor of Remedios claimed in a message sent to the government that “it appears” the mine was illegally exploited.

Images released by the state-run National Mining Agency showed rescuers with flashlights during their search efforts.

The region in Antioquia has a strong mining tradition. 

Gold extracted in the area is known to sometimes finance armed groups such as the Gulf Clan, a cartel also involved in cocaine trafficking. 

Coal mine accidents are common in Colombia, particularly in the central region where they claim dozens of lives each year. 

(AFP)