Disasters & Incidents
Body recovered after Solomon Islands gold mine landslide as search continues
Solomon Islands police said they recovered the first body from a landslide at the Gold Ridge gold mine, while warning it was too early to confirm how many people remained buried.
The landslide happened at about 2:00 am local time on Monday at the mine, about 25 kilometres southeast of Honiara, the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force said. Acting Police Commissioner James Aitorea said the slide covered about 100 metres of an access road into the mine’s Pit 1.
Police said the body of a man from Central Guadalcanal was recovered at about 10:00 am on Tuesday and handed to his family for burial.
A Tetere police officer earlier told AFP that ten distressed families had reported male relatives missing at the mine site. Residents who were not employed by the mining company were known to have entered the site to search for gold and are believed to be among the missing.
Walton Naezon, a local chief and director of Gold Ridge Mining, told AFP there were “too many illegal miners in the mining lease area” and said only one body had been recovered.
Police urged locals to stay clear of the site as recovery efforts continued and an investigation began. Gold Ridge said the incident was limited to a restricted, non-operational area of the mine and that mining operations were continuing.
Gold Ridge is owned by Hong Kong-listed Wanguo International Mining. The mine is a significant contributor to the Solomon Islands economy and began an expansion last year.
Update
Solomon Islands police said the first body had been recovered from the Gold Ridge mine landslide.
Police said it was too early to confirm how many people remained buried.
The recovered man was from Central Guadalcanal and was handed over to his family for burial.
Police said recovery efforts were continuing and an investigation was beginning.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 06:22:17 UTC.
Update
Ten families reported male relatives missing at the Gold Ridge mine site, according to a Tetere police officer.
Officials had not reported an official death toll as search and recovery operations continued on Tuesday.
Gold Ridge said the incident was limited to a restricted, non-operational area and that mining operations were continuing.
Government officials said they expected to release an official statement later.
The source added that Gold Ridge is owned by Hong Kong-listed Wanguo International Mining and began an expansion last year.
Source note: AFP news report published on 28 July 2026 at 02:48:57 UTC.
Update
Local media outlet In-depth Solomons reported that 10 bodies had been recovered at the site.
Residents and police were searching for survivors on Monday after the landslide.
Gold Ridge Mining said the landslide happened just after midnight in an open pit and said it could not confirm injuries or fatalities.
Police, engineers, fire and emergency workers and village chiefs were at the site before recovery work continued.
Source note: AFP news report published on 27 July 2026 at 08:46:22 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The number of people still buried or missing has not been confirmed.
The source says residents not employed by the mining company are believed to be among the missing, but does not confirm their identities or number.
Source
AFP news report published on .