Glencore unit says seven dead after wall collapse in mine

March 17, 2016 1:13 PM

"It is with deep regret that the company must now assume that any individual who was in KOV open pit at the time of the incident will not have survived," the company said in a brief statement.

The logo of Glencore is pictured in front of the company's headquarters in the Swiss town of Baar, November 13, 2012. REUTERS/Michael Buholzer

Katanga Mining, a majority-owned subsidiary of global miner Glencore, said on Thursday that a wall collapse at a mine southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo has killed all seven people who were in the open-pit mine at the time of the incident last week.

The company, which has so far recovered three bodies from the site, said it had ended the search for the other four following a 10-day effort.

The company said it continued to work closely with relevant authorities and an investigation was underway to determine the cause of the geotechnical failure that led to the collapse of a 250-metre pit wall last week.