Two dead, 5 missing after DR Congo mining accident

Two people were killed and five others were missing after an accident on Tuesday at a mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Katanga province, mining giant Glencore said.

In an earlier statement, which identified seven people as missing, the Switzerland-based company said "a geotechnical failure on the north wall" of the copper and cobalt mine in the southern province caused the accident.

"It is with deepest regret that two bodies have been recovered," a second statement said. "The search for the remaining five individuals continues with all available resources allocated to the search and rescue operations.

"A separate support and counselling centre for the families of the affected individuals has been placed in Kolwezi town, which is located close to the operations," the statement added.

The company which has scaled back its global operations in an effort to ease a mountainous debt burden said some of the mine's infrastructure is likely to have been damaged.