Two mines in Peru’s central Andes have collapsed, trapping six workers. The San Vincente de Vítoc zinc mine, in Junín department, collapsed on Sunday night, burying four workers. A day later, the Atacocha zinc mine, in Cerro de Pasco, the capital of Pasco department, collapsed on two more men.
Agencia Andina has identified the workers in the San Vincente de Vítoc mine, owned by Peru’s San Ignacio de Morococha, as Juan José Valenzuela Berrocal, 35, Rubén Carrión Jara, 35, Daye Ninamanco Arteaga, 30, and Gustavo Heredia Ostrera, 22. Daily El Comercio identified the workers at the Atacocha mine, owned by Peru’s Atacocha, as Édgar Augusto Ugáldez Asañero, 25, and Luis Everth Ríos Damián, 33.
According to Agencia Andina, authorities are continuing to search for the bodies of the four men at San Vincente de Vítoc. They are using heavy machinery and relying on the support of local police officers and firefighters. Flooding and a landslide were reportedly the cause of the San Vincente de Vítoc mines collapse.
The Energy and Mines Ministry reported 58 fatal accidents in Peru’s formal mines in 2007. This is down from 2006, which had 65 fatal accidents.
