A major rescue operation was launched in the Malook Abad area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swat district after a section of an emerald mine collapsed on Wednesday evening, trapping multiple workers underground.

According to initial reports by Rescue 1122 Swat, the mine caved in suddenly during extraction activity.

“Upon receiving the alert, the district emergency officer immediately dispatched a specialised disaster response team to the site, where a full-scale rescue operation was launched without delay,” said Rescue 1122 spokesperson Shafiqa Gul.

Gul confirmed that four mine rescuers entered the collapsed shaft, working to reach and retrieve the trapped individuals.

“Rescue efforts were being carried out with urgency, utilising all available resources including modern equipment, ambulances and medical teams stationed at the site,” she said, adding that additional support has been requisitioned from nearby mines and emergency units to expedite the operation.

“We are doing everything in our capacity to ensure a safe and successful rescue,” Gul said, adding that Swat District Emergency Officer Rafiullah Marwat also reached the site of the incident and would personally supervise the operation.

Eyewitnesses and local workers, however, expressed concern over the lack of scientific methods and safety measures traditionally employed in such mining operations, according to a Dawn.com correspondent at the scene.

“These emerald mines are being run in an entirely unscientific and unregulated manner,” local resident Abid Ali Jan told Dawn.com, adding that safety protocols are often neglected in pursuit of profit.

Mining in Swat’s lush mountains, particularly for emeralds, has long been criticised for poor regulation and inadequate oversight, often putting the lives of workers at serious risk.

“We have even reported that some residents located in the same mountain, closer to the mine, carry out illegal mining and they have made the land beneath many houses shallow,” said Ihasanullah, a resident of Malook Abad near the mine. “Despite the complaints, the authorities do not take action against them.”

The current incident has once again brought attention to the pressing need for standardised safety frameworks and proper training for mine workers in the region.

Rescue teams continued the operation, while anxious family members and locals gathered near the site.