Probe into miners' deaths begins

BOGOR: Local police sent a team on Friday to investigate the deaths of two illegal gold miners in the Pongkor Mountain gold mine, operated by publicly listed gold and nickel miner PT Aneka Tambang (Antam).

The two were found late on Wednesday in Cikoret tunnel in Bantarkaret village, Nanggung, Bogor, about seven kilometers from the site where 13 illegal miners died of asphyxiation last week.

Bogor Police chief of detectives Adj. Comr. Ferdy Sambo said the team was still gathering information on the incident.

A public relations officer of the Pongkor Mountain unit, Ujang Solihin, told Antara on Friday that the Cikoret tunnel was not under Antam's operational jurisdiction.

"The incident took place on Tuesday, but they were evacuated only the next day. Maybe their friends could not help them immediately because of the lack of oxygen in the tunnel."

The victims, Maman, 32, and Uhay, 30, allegedly died of asphyxiation. They were staying at the nearby village of Curug Bitung, but originally hailed from Banten province. -- JP