Tin mine collapse in mineral-rich Congo kills 6 people, including 5 children and a mother

Congo mine collapse kills 6, including 5 children

KINSHASA, Congo — A U.N. radio station says six people — including five children — have died in a tin mine collapse in southeast Congo.

U.N. Radio Okapi says the collapse at an abandoned mine on Sunday also left two people missing.

The radio station says the collapse also killed a woman who is survived by three children. It was unclear if any of the dead were related to each other.

Congo is awash with gold, diamonds and metals such as cassiterite and coltan used to weld small pieces together in electronics.

The sprawling country, which is the size of Western Europe, also lacks basic infrastructure like transnational roads. Many of its mines are difficult to access, making it nearly impossible to monitor for safety hazards and child labor.