Distraught family members watched as a sole excavator dug through loose mud in an attempt to free seven miners who remain trapped in a collapsed mine in Cauca, Colombia on September 12 (Friday).

The trapped miners have been underground at an approximate depth of 28 metres since Thursday (September 11) after a landslide caused the illegal gold mine to collapse, local media reported.

Family members gathered at the site of the mine pleaded for more help from the authorities. “We need machinery, for them to send us machinery so we can rescue our boys because we have about seven boys over there. And the only thing we have is that machine there, we don’t have enough machines to be able to rescue our boys on time," said Ana Leida Velasco, mother of a trapped miner, tearfully.

Locals in conflict-ridden municipalities such as Cauca often depend on illegal mining to make a living, exposing themselves to risks, according to local media.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SANTANDER DE QUILICHAO, CAUCA, COLOMBIA (SEPTEMBER 12, 2025) (RCN TV - No use Colombia / No use Telemundo / No use CNN Spanish / No use Univision / No use CITY TV Colombia)

1. PEOPLE AROUND GOLD MINE WHERE MINERS ARE TRAPPED

2. MACHINERY WORKING TO RESCUE TRAPPED MINERS

3. MAN WATCHING MACHINERY WORKING IN MINE

4. PEOPLE AT SCENE

5. FIREFIGHTER WATCHING MACHINERY WORKING

6. PEOPLE SEATED AND WATCHING RESCUE

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MOTHER OF TRAPPED MINER, ANA LEIDA VELASCO, SAYING:

“We need machinery, for them to send us machinery so we can rescue our boys because we have about seven boys over there. And the only thing we have is that machine there, we don’t have enough machines to be able to rescue our boys on time."

8. VARIOUS OF RELATIVES OF TRAPPED MINERS AWAITING RESCUE, CRYING

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RELATIVE OF TRAPPED MINER, MARIA HELANA TROCHEZ, SAYING:

“Please help us, the municipality, the mayor, I don’t know, someone who can help us because with just one machine we won’t be able to. You can’t imagine the anguish we have wondering whether we’ll find our relatives buried there — please help us."

10. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AROUND MINE

11. MACHINERY WORKING

12. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AROUND MINE