Four miners remain trapped in the Santa Fe mine in El Rosario, Sinaloa, after a tailings dam collapse on March 25. Authorities confirm they are alive and receiving oxygen and water as rescue operations continue under the National Civil Protection Coordination. Governor Rubén Rocha Moya and President Claudia Sheinbaum back the efforts.
On March 25 at 2:00 p.m., a tailings dam collapsed and flooded the Santa Fe mine, owned by Industrial Minera Sinaloa in the Chele community, El Rosario municipality, Sinaloa. Of 25 workers present, 21 managed to exit on their own, while four remained trapped: one at about 100 meters depth and three at 350 meters.
Governor Rubén Rocha Moya confirmed Friday that the miners are alive and receiving oxygen and water. 'The report is that they are alive, oxygen is being injected and liquid, water,' he told Noroeste.
The National Civil Protection Coordination (CNPC), led by Laura Velázquez Alzúa, oversees the rescue from a unified command post with the Secretariat of National Defense, Secretariat of the Navy, state and municipal Civil Protection, and company technicians. The Army sent 36 or 38 specialists.
Actions include constant ventilation, sealing the breach, clearing material at the mine entrance, vertical diamond-tip drilling to 300 meters for supplies and contact, and preparing counter-shafts with rappel. Teams advanced 264 meters with wooden supports, without finding the first expected miner, and plan to explore another 1.5 kilometers. Work continued through the night and will increase personnel on Saturday.
Velázquez Alzúa stressed: 'We are going to work day and night until we have them with us.' Rocha supervised operations, met with families, and thanked President Claudia Sheinbaum's support. The CNPC provides family accompaniment and asks people not to approach the area to allow machinery access.
