Nicaragua ends search for workers trapped in gold mine

Authorities in Nicaragua have called off the search for people trapped in the collapse of an unlicensed gold mine in the country's south.

"Despite the rescue work, no other fatalities have been found," said the National System for the Prevention, Mitigation, and Attention of Disasters, via 19 Digital, on Sunday, announcing that the search was over.

Rescue workers on Saturday recovered the bodies of two miners killed in the collapse of the wildcat gold mine, but up to 16 others had reportedly been trapped after the accident in the La Esperanza region, more than 200 kilometres southeast of the capital Managua.

The disaster management agency made no mention of others reportedly trapped in the mine.

"It will be the responsibility of the Ministry of Energy and Mines and the police to continue the necessary investigations into this type of accident," it said.

The two victims, identified as Israel Sequeira and Santos Herrera, were from the Rio San Juan department, local government official Johnny Gutierrez told official website 19 Digital.

Aftermath of heavy rainfall

Local media reported that anywhere from seven to 18 miners were trapped when the rain-soaked hillside collapsed.

Mayor Johnny Gutierrez said community members, soldiers, firefighters, and police continued to dig at the site, where other miners are still missing.

Amaru Ruiz, director of the nonprofit Fundacion del Rio, said the rescuers "should have continued with the rescue work until they reached the floor where the miners were working."

An estimated 3,000 people work in Nicaragua's unlicensed mines.

Ruiz said the hillside was honeycombed by mining tunnels dug over the years on private property.

Months of rain, including the devastating passage last month of hurricanes Eta and Iota, had saturated and weakened the clay-like land, he added.

Landslides last month in northern Nicaragua claimed at least seven lives.

READ MORE: Hurricane Eta lashes Nicaragua as Category 4 storm