Families and friends have started laying to rest loved ones who were among the 16 individuals killed in the tragic collapse of an illegally operated gold mine in a secluded area of central Venezuela. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, marks one of the deadliest in the country's poorly regulated mining industry, which has seen a surge in activity in the wake of dwindling oil production in the OPEC nation.

As anger grows over the government's sluggish response in aiding the injured and retrieving bodies from the mine collapse, the bereaved are coming together to pay tribute to the victims of this devastating accident. The slow response has raised concerns about the safety and oversight of mining operations in the region, highlighting the urgent need for stricter regulations to prevent such tragedies in the future.