A collapse in the Vega de Rengos mine in Cangas del Narcea killed two workers on Friday afternoon. Rescue efforts confirmed the deaths of Óscar Díaz and Anilson Soares after hours of operations. The incident reopens wounds in a region scarred by recent mining accidents.
On Friday afternoon, a collapse trapped two miners in the Vega de Rengos mine in Cangas del Narcea council, Asturias. The nearby village of Vega de Rengos fell silent as ambulances and rescue teams rushed to the scene. "Things get known in minutes here," recounted local resident José Manuel Rodríguez, noting how the news spread quickly via mobiles.
Tragedy was confirmed around 19:45, when rescuers reached Óscar Díaz's body. They soon located Anilson Soares, buried in an unstable area, with recovery extending past 23:30. Soares's family had endured a similar loss: his brother Adolfo died in a 2007 collapse at Pozo Calderón in Villablino.
This incident follows the Cerredo accident eight months prior, which killed five in March 2025, bringing the total to seven deaths in Asturian mines this year. After Cerredo, TYC Narcea's operations were suspended in April and resumed in June following inspections. Initial reports suggest an unforeseeable geological failure, as Mayor José Luis Fontaniella described a sudden rock "breakage" impossible to predict.
The Pozo Fondón Mining Rescue Brigade responded despite 19 of its 21 members recently resigning over organizational changes. "Their response has been impeccable," stated José Luis Alperi of SOMA-FITAG-UGT. Comisiones Obreras noted the area was inspected the previous day and called for a thorough investigation, distinguishing it from Cerredo.
Veterans like Alipio Díaz portray mining as an environment of persistent risks: gases, ventilation, and terrain shifts. Though mechanization has altered hazards, uncontrollable elements remain. The anthracite mined here serves siderurgical processes, allowed under EU rules for industrial uses.
The event has stirred unease in an area deeply marked by mining, despite its economic decline. "The wait is the worst," a resident said, echoing familiarity with such disasters.