At least 32 mine workers are confirmed dead after a 28 December collapse at a defunct gold operation in the West Kordofan province of Sudan.
The incident occurred at the closed, non-functioning state-run Sudanese Mineral Resources Darsaya mine in Fuja, south of Khartoum, according to CNN.
Company director Khaled Al Dahwey told the news outlet that there was one survivor and that 36 individuals were at the mine at the time.
Efforts to search the site are reportedly still ongoing; no worker identities have been released to date.
A Reuters report indicated that Sudan is currently in an economic crisis that has led some in the region to resort to risky practices in underdeveloped regions to make a living for themselves.
An Associated Press report added that the workers had gone to the area to mine after the idled mine’s security force left the area.
In the nation’s mining industry, said to be corrupt but undergoing an overhaul, collapses are commonplace.
Both Egypt and United Arab Emirates officials have expressed condolences for and solidarity with Sudan and the victims.
Sources: CNN, Reuters, Associated Press