At least 11 dead in Colombian coal mine explosion

At least 11 people have been killed after an explosion in three interconnected coal mines in the area of Sutatausa, in the department of Cundinamarca in Colombia, authorities said Wednesday.

President Gustavo Petro said efforts are being made to rescue 10 workers trapped in sinkholes since late Tuesday when the explosion occurred.

"What happened in the Sutatausa mine, where 11 people died, is an unfortunate tragedy," Petro wrote on Twitter. "We are making every effort with the government of Cundinamarca to rescue the trapped people alive. An embrace of solidarity to the victims and their families."

Authorities said seven miners were able to escape on their own -- four were taken to hospitals.

The incident was caused by the "accumulation of gasses" that exploded due to "a spark generated by a tool" of a worker that caused a chain reaction, according to Cundinamarca Governor Nicolas Garcia.

"Every minute that passes is less oxygen" and it becomes "very difficult" to find them alive, he said.

The miners are 900 meters (2,953 feet) deep which hinders search efforts for rescuers who include firefighters, miners, members of the Red Cross and teams from the National Mining Agency (ANM).

A group of family members has been waiting for information about their relatives since early Wednesday.

Colombia registered 148 deaths in 2021 due to similar mining accidents, according to the most recent ANM report.