Three killed after tunnel collapses in Spanish potash mine

Three Spanish geologists have died after a tunnel collapsed deep inside a potash mine in northeastern Spain on Thursday, officers mentioned.

The accident occurred contained in the Cabanasses de Súria mine simply earlier than 9 a.m., at a depth of 900 meters, native authorities mentioned. Efforts have been ongoing to safe the mine — round 80 kilometres northwest of Barcelona — and recuperate the our bodies, they mentioned.

The mine is operated by ICL Iberia, the Spanish subsidiary of Tel Aviv-based ICL Group. An official from the Spanish firm confirmed that the three males have been Spanish nationals and skilled geologists, and that two of them have been postgraduate college students on the Polytechnic College of Catalonia's Manresa engineering college.

A minute's silence was held on the college on Thursday afternoon.

Mine worker Carlos Arnaldo mentioned the collapsed part was solely constructed “just a few days in the past." Catalonia’s regional head of enterprise, Roger Torrent, said that the mine had handed common security inspections. “The checks have been common. The final one was three weeks in the past,” Torrent mentioned.

Two employees died in related circumstances on the similar mine a decade in the past.

Catalan regional president Pere Aragonès supplied his condolences to households affected by the accident: 

"Sadly, immediately we should affirm the loss of life of three younger folks whereas they have been doing duties within the mine. And, subsequently, on this sense, the very first thing we need to convey is our condolences to the households of these three younger individuals who have been round 30. We need to convey my condolences to the households but in addition to all their fellow employees within the firm".

The regional authorities introduced an investigation, and a judicial probe was additionally opened.

Round 20,000 folks work in Spain’s mining sector, in response to Vitality Ministry statistics, a determine that has halved up to now 20 years.

Between 2016 and 2021, the final 12 months for which statistics have been accessible, a median of 4 mining employees died yearly within the southern European nation.