Nine coal miners die in gas explosion in Colombia

A gas explosion at a coal mine in Colombia's northeastern department of Norte de Santander has killed at least nine miners, the country's mining authority said on Sunday. Rescue teams reached the trapped workers after several hours, but methane buildup in the underground galleries slowed access. Authorities are now investigating whether ventilation systems met the safety standards required after a similar incident last year.

The mine, near the town of Cúcuta, supplies coking coal to industrial buyers in Brazil and the United States. Local officials said operations had been suspended pending inspection, and the National Mining Agency (ANM) has dispatched safety inspectors. President Gustavo Petro offered condolences to the families and renewed his call for stricter rules on artisanal mining permits.

Colombia is one of Latin America's largest coal exporters, but its mining sector has a long record of fatal incidents driven by methane and gas accumulation. The country recorded 148 mining deaths last year, according to ANM data. Industry groups argue that better gas-detection technology and stricter enforcement of mandatory ventilation upgrades would cut the death toll significantly.