POLICE: Two miners injured, one presumed dead in New Afton mud rush

One miner is believed dead and two others injured in an early morning mud slide today (Feb. 2, 2021) at the New Afton underground mine west of Kamloops.

New Gold Inc. announced that at about 1:40 a.m. a “mud rush” occurred at the mine. It said two employees suffered non-life threatening injuries and received medical care while a contract driller is presumed dead.

Names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin. The company said the on-site emergency management system has been activated and RCMP and provincial safety authorities were immediately notified.

The Tk’emlups Rural RCMP detachment confirmed it was called about 2:24 a.m. to assist fire and ambulance at the site. BC Coroners Service has been notified by police and both are investigating.

All activities at the mine have been suspended. “The thoughts of the board of directors and management are with the family, friends and colleagues that have been impacted by this unfortunate incident,” the company stated.

A mud rush is defined as a sudden inflow of waterlogged material into mine workings.