A Vancouver-based silver mining firm confirmed on Monday that nine of its employees have now been found deceased at its mine site in Mexico.
In January, Vizsla Silver Corp. announced that 10 of its workers were abducted at its Panuco project site, a gold and silver mining operation in the state of Sinaloa.
The company says one of those workers remains missing and that Mexican authorities continue their search.
“This is a devastating outcome, and our heartfelt condolences are with all the families impacted,” said Vizsla Silver president and CEO Michael Konnert.
“We stand beside them with continued support as we mourn our colleagues and friends.”
In February, Vizsla Silver shared an update, revealing that some of the affected families told the company that their relatives were found dead.
Mexican authorities confirmed the discovery of bodies and remains, but did not confirm the identity until now.
“We will always carry this loss with us. We will honour our colleagues through the work we do every day and our ongoing commitment to their families, our community in Sinaloa, and the values that define us,” Konnert said.
Mines have been the target of organized crime on other occasions in Mexico, as cartels see opportunities to extort or even sell valuable ore themselves.
