A woman looks at a memorial for victims of enforced disappearance located in Culiacan, Mexico, on Feb. 9, 2026.JESUS VERDUGO/AFP/Getty Images
Vizsla Silver Corp. VZLA-T said on Monday that some of its missing employees in the Mexican state of Sinaloa have been found dead, according to reports from their relatives.
Ten workers at Vancouver-based Vizsla’s mine site near the city of Concordia were reported abducted in late January, sparking an investigation by Mexican authorities in the state, which has been ravaged by cartel violence.
The company said in a statement on its website that it received the reports from family members of an undisclosed number of workers and was awaiting confirmation from Mexican authorities.
The attorney general’s office said in a statement Monday that it found 10 bodies in the municipality of Concordia, of which five have so far been identified. Forensic teams are working to identify the remaining five bodies, it added.
“We are devastated by this outcome and the tragic loss of life. Our deepest condolences are with our colleagues’ families, friends and co-workers, and the entire community of Concordia,” Vizsla chief executive officer Michael Konnert said in the statement.
“Our focus remains on the safe recovery of those who remain missing and on supporting all affected families and our people during this incredibly difficult time.”
Vizsla spokesperson Louise Kozier said in an e-mail that the company had no further comment at this time.
The workers were taken from Vizsla’s Panuco Silver-Gold project, located in Western Sinaloa. It is the company’s only project, according to its website.
Family members interviewed by Reuters said some of the workers who went missing had received threats from organized crime groups in the area including the Chapitos, a faction of the Sinaloa cartel led by the sons of jailed Mexican drug lord Joaquin (El Chapo) Guzman.
Mexico’s Security Minister Omar Garcia confirmed last month that the area where the miners went missing is under the control of the Chapitos. The silver mine has been closed since the abduction.
Authorities have yet to establish a reason as to why the group was abducted on Jan. 23.
Global Affairs Canada has said it is monitoring the situation closely, and that it was not aware of any Canadians among the missing.
With a report from Reuters