Suriname declared two days of national mourning after a mine collapsed in the Brokopondo area the day before yesterday. At least fifteen gold seekers were killed. At least six people are still missing.

Tomorrow and the day after, flags in Suriname will be flown at half-mast. On November 25, Suriname will have been independent for 48 years. The parade and celebration will continue, but other festivities may be canceled or modified.

It was previously said that the men were working in the illegal mine when the entrance collapsed. Today it has become clear that the prospectors were working outdoors when the overhang of the mountainside they were excavating fell. They were buried underground. It is not known how many people were working there.

In interviews with Surinamese media, survivors told how they tried to extract living victims. They had to abandon their attempts when another part of the mountain wall fell. 14 bodies were recovered on Monday, and one of the victims was announced dead in hospital yesterday.

The president fears that no one will be able to survive. “The number one priority is to find out if there are any survivors and at the same time start the recovery process. We will also conduct a comprehensive investigation,” President Santokhi said yesterday.

Journalist Jürgen Lachmann said yesterday in Suriname that there are more of these types of illegal mines in the interior of Suriname, which the government condones. Radio NOS 1 News. “It’s about finding the gold as quickly as possible. Safety is not an issue, it’s just about the money.”

Today Vice President Ronnie Brunswick extended his condolences to relatives and the community through the media. He called on gold seekers to leave the area, and urged everyone not to send photos of the dead out of respect for the family.