[Translation prepared by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre]

Tragedy at the Maikain mine: do they want to blame the designer? 7 February 2024

...As is known...the results of the work of the commission investigating the tragedy at the Maikain mine, where a bus with people fell into the ground in early January, were announced. Based on the results of the comprehensive investigation, the commission came to the conclusion that the causes of the group accident due to the collapse of rock mass into the mined-out space were unsatisfactory organisation of work production and inadequate production control over the safe conduct of mining operations by responsible persons of Maikainzoloto JSC. In addition, the mine did not properly monitor the process of caving in from the workings during the development of blocks. It was also established that the existing voids formed as a result of the enterprise's activities were not properly monitored, their forced collapse was not carried out, with subsequent elimination, in accordance with the design documentation, of the voids of the mined-out cleaning space.

It was reported that the state commission identified seven responsible persons whose actions led to the group accident. The investigation materials were transferred to law enforcement agencies. That is, the opinion of the general director of "Maikainzoloto" expressed in the media actually contradicts the conclusions of the state commission, and he disputes them...