At least three dead and dozens buried alive in Indonesia gold mine collapse

Rescuers report hearing cries and voices from inside makeshift mine shafts cut into the hillside.

Image:So far 15 people have been rescued Pic: National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure

As many as 60 people are believed to have been buried alive after a landslide at an illegal gold mine in Indonesia's North Sulawesi province.

So far there have been three confirmed deaths and 15 people have been rescued.

Rescuers have reported hearing voices from inside the makeshift mine shafts that have been cut into the hillside.

Indonesia's disaster agency (IDA) said dozens of people were mining when when beams and support boards broke suddenly.

Image:Rescuers say they can hear voices from inside the mine Pic: National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure

Those trying to reach the trapped miners are being hampered by the treacherous terrain and having to use picks and spades rather than heavy machinery for fear of causing another landslide.

The IDA's Abdul Muin Paputungan said: ""We are able to detect that many of them are still alive because we can hear their voices, as there are some places where air is getting in and out and there are gaps in the mud."

Image:Rescue workers are using hand tools because of the fear of another landslide Pic: National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure

He added that families of those missing had begun to gather at the site of the accident.

The Indonesian government has banned small-scale gold mining, but there is little control, particularly in remote areas and they are prone to accidents.