The collapse occurred at 12.00am in Vang Mon village, Nga My commune, Tuong Duong district.

The three dead bodies were pulled out of debris, who were later identified as Lo Van Hoa, 38, Lo Van Tu, 24, and Vi Van Ca, 18. They were all female.

The injured were taken to Tuong Duong district general hospital for treatment.

Initial investigations showed that those unfortunate miners dug a deep shaft inside the tunnel on the soft ground that triggered a big block of rock to fall down on the roof of the mine, causing the collapse and trapping all the miners inside.

Vi Tan Hoi, vice chairman of the Tuong Duong People’s Committee, said the area where the incident occurred has been banned from gold mining.

The unfortunate gold miners had been fined twice for illegal operations by the local administration, said Hoi.   

The police has seized all gold mining equipment at the scene.

The western mountain part of Nghe An, comprising Tuong Duong, Con Cuong, Ky Son and Anh Son, belongs to a World Biosphere Reserve recognized by UNESCO.

Over the past few years, the region has been a hotspot for gold mining. Many locals have dug mines to look for and extract gold, contaminating all streams and rivers.

A number of gold mines have collapsed, killing many miners. Most recently, five people were killed in a similar goldmine collapse in Tuong Duong district in May 2011.