Two brothers have died and two other men have been injured after a wall collapsed at an illegal mining site in Salima District.
The victims, identified as Sitaiford Sailota, 26, and Limbikani Sailota, 20, died on October 28, 2026, at around 11 a.m. while digging for precious stones along the Lipimbi River in Bezai Village under Traditional Authority Khombedza.
Salima Police spokesperson Sub-Inspector Rebecca Ndiwate said the two brothers were working with two other men at the site when the accident occurred.
According to Ndiwate, the group had poured water into a mining pit to soften the soil before digging deeper. However, the weakened ground suddenly gave way, causing a wall of earth to collapse and bury all four men.
The victims were rescued and rushed to Makiyoni Hospital, where Sitaiford and Limbikani were pronounced dead on arrival.
The other victims, Benson Chrispin, 21, and Aubrey Malizan, 25, survived but sustained fractures to their legs and are receiving treatment.
Ndiwate said postmortem examinations established that the two brothers died from suffocation and injuries sustained after being struck by hard objects during the collapse.
The tragedy comes just days after another mining accident in Kasungu District claimed the lives of 53-year-old Tisela Banda and her grandchild between October 19 and 20. Tisela’s 20-year-old son, Christopher Banda, survived with injuries.
Following the Kasungu incident, Central East Region Deputy Commissioner of Police Monica Katemba Msongole warned artisanal miners against engaging in unsafe mining practices, urging them to avoid activities that expose them to life-threatening risks.
Senior Chief Simlemba blamed the continued involvement of people in dangerous gold mining activities on poverty and criticised buyers who purchase illegally mined gold despite the risks associated with its extraction.
Police records show that Salima District registered two mining-related accidents between January and October this year, compared to none during the same period last year, highlighting growing safety concerns surrounding informal mining activities in the district.
The victims, identified as Sitaiford Sailota, 26, and Limbikani Sailota, 20, died on October 28, 2026, at around 11 a.m. while digging for precious stones along the Lipimbi River in Bezai Village under Traditional Authority Khombedza.
Salima Police spokesperson Sub-Inspector Rebecca Ndiwate said the two brothers were working with two other men at the site when the accident occurred.
According to Ndiwate, the group had poured water into a mining pit to soften the soil before digging deeper. However, the weakened ground suddenly gave way, causing a wall of earth to collapse and bury all four men.
The victims were rescued and rushed to Makiyoni Hospital, where Sitaiford and Limbikani were pronounced dead on arrival.
The other victims, Benson Chrispin, 21, and Aubrey Malizan, 25, survived but sustained fractures to their legs and are receiving treatment.
Ndiwate said postmortem examinations established that the two brothers died from suffocation and injuries sustained after being struck by hard objects during the collapse.
The tragedy comes just days after another mining accident in Kasungu District claimed the lives of 53-year-old Tisela Banda and her grandchild between October 19 and 20. Tisela’s 20-year-old son, Christopher Banda, survived with injuries.
Following the Kasungu incident, Central East Region Deputy Commissioner of Police Monica Katemba Msongole warned artisanal miners against engaging in unsafe mining practices, urging them to avoid activities that expose them to life-threatening risks.
Senior Chief Simlemba blamed the continued involvement of people in dangerous gold mining activities on poverty and criticised buyers who purchase illegally mined gold despite the risks associated with its extraction.
Police records show that Salima District registered two mining-related accidents between January and October this year, compared to none during the same period last year, highlighting growing safety concerns surrounding informal mining activities in the district.
