Somincor, the concessionaire of the Neves-Corvo mine, today confirmed the death of the worker who was buried in that mining complex located in the municipality of Castro Verde, in the district of Beja.
“Somincor is sad to report the death of a worker from our company as a result of an isolated fall while operating equipment at the bottom of the Neves-Corvo Mine,” the company said in a statement sent to the Lusa news agency.
The concessionaire of the Alentejo mining complex, which is owned by the Swedish-Canadian group Lundin Mining, revealed that “an investigation into the causes of the incident” is underway and that the company is “collaborating with the competent authorities”.
Stating that it regrets the death of the worker in this “incident at the mine”, the company indicated that it had “voluntarily decided to suspend activities” at the mining complex “until further notice”.
“At this time of shared grief, Somincor sends its heartfelt condolences to the family of the worker and to the municipality of Castro Verde and reaffirms its solidarity with the family, with all those who work in our operation and with our communities,” the statement also said.
In addition, the company said it was “giving all possible support” to the family of the worker who died.
Speaking to Lusa, Hugo Vazeira, from the Mining Industry Workers’ Union (STIM) also confirmed the worker’s death after the rescue team reached the victim.
The 42-year-old worker, who was born in Albernoa, in the municipality of Beja, but lives in Castro Verde, was operating “a rotating machine” when he was buried this afternoon due to a collapse at the bottom of the mine, the union official said.
A source from the Baixo Alentejo Sub-Regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command told Lusa that the firefighters were alerted to the incident at 14:08.
The same source added that, at around 9pm, “the victim had already been rescued from the mine” and that “the worker’s death” had been declared by the doctor from the Beja emergency and resuscitation vehicle (VMER).
Hugo Vazeira confirmed to Lusa that “the rescue work” was “carried out by an intervention team from Somincor”, the mining complex’s concessionaire.
Hugo Vazeira recalled that, before this death, the last two fatalities at the Neves-Corvo mine both occurred in 2022, one in March and the other in October.
Members of the Castro Verde fire department and GNR soldiers were mobilized to the scene of today’s incident, as well as resources from the National Institute for Medical Emergencies (INEM), including a helicopter and the VMER.
Contacted by Lusa, a source from the Authority for Working Conditions (ACT) said it had mobilized a team of three inspectors to the scene to carry out the necessary investigations.
https://www.portugalpulse.com/worker-buried-in-neves-corvo-mines-in-the-municipality-of-castro-verde/
