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Seven others are still missing in what is considered the South American country’s worst mining accident.

<div><div><div><p><strong>PARAMARIBO, Suriname (NEWSnetAP) —</strong> The number of people killed when an illegal gold mine collapsed in Suriname rose to 14 on Tuesday.</p></div></div>
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<div><div><p>Seven others are still missing in what is considered the South American country’s worst mining accident.</p></div></div>
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<div><div><p>Suriname is known for its gold mines, with U.S. and Canadian companies heavily invested in such operations. Informal gold mining has also increased in recent years.</p></div></div>

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<div><div><p>Police, military officials and rescue crews were dispatched to the mine, which is located in the country&#39;s rural southern region.</p></div></div>
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<div><div><p>The miners are believed to have built their own tunnels to search for gold, a common occurrence in Suriname, officials said.</p></div></div>
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<div><div><p>It wasn&#39;t immediately clear what caused the collapse.</p></div></div>

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