Four dead, one still missing after El Teniente mine collapse in Chile

SANTIAGO (Chile): Chilean authorities on Sunday (local time) confirmed that four of the five workers trapped in a collapsed copper mine have been found dead, as rescue teams continue searching for the remaining missing miner, as reported by CNN.

According to CNN, the incident occurred at the El Teniente mine in Central Chile, one of the world’s largest copper-producing sites, following a partial shaft collapse on Thursday. According to Codelco, the state-owned company that manages the mine, the collapse was triggered by a 4.3 magnitude earthquake recorded in the area by the National Seismological Centre of the University of Chile.

One miner died immediately during the initial collapse, leaving five trapped, CNN reported, with the first victim identified as Gonzalo Nunez Caroca, whose body was recovered on Saturday. Three other bodies were recovered on Sunday but have not yet been publicly named, while nine others were injured, CNN reported.

Mine General Manager Andres Music expressed condolences in a statement on Saturday, emphasising that the safety of rescue teams was a priority and that progress may now be slower to ensure no further harm.

“We know that this news hits hard for the families of our colleagues and for our entire mining community… We are going to keep working with all our strength and hope, but now with greater care, which could mean slower progress,” Music said in the statement.

Codelco CEO Ruben Alvarado had earlier warned that the first 48 hours after the collapse were critical for locating survivors. Rescue efforts have focused on clearing roughly 20 meters of debris to reach the section where the miners are believed to have been trapped, CNN reported.

Meanwhile, Chilean President Gabriel Boric expressed his sorrow in a statement posted Friday, promising full governmental support in the rescue mission. He further instructed Mining Minister Aurora Williams to oversee operations directly at the site.

Con profundo dolor, se ha confirmado el fallecimiento de Gonzalo Núñez Caroca, Álex Araya Acevedo, Carlos Arancibia Valenzuela, Jean Miranda Ibaceta y Moisés Pavez Armijo, los trabajadores atrapados tras el terrible accidente en la División El Teniente de Codelco. Envío un abrazo… pic.twitter.com/vr5hZ361MG

— Gabriel Boric Font (@GabrielBoric) August 3, 2025

“My deepest condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of Paulo Marin Tapia, a worker at Salfa Montajes, who was performing duties at Codelco’s El Teniente Division and tragically passed away in a mine accident. To his loved ones and fellow workers, my heartfelt embrace in this difficult moment”, Boric said in a statement on X.

“From the government, we have deployed all resources and efforts from the very first moment in the search for the five workers with whom contact has not yet been established. I have instructed the Minister of Mining, Aurora Williams, to be on-site to coordinate all necessary actions in the field. We will do everything within our power to find them”, he added. (ANI)