Search continues for missing employees at Freeport mine
Search continues for missing employees at Freeport mine
Nethy Dharma Somba and A. Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura/Jakarta
The government has sent a team of experts to investigate a fatal
accident at PT Freeport Indonesia mine in Tembagapura area,
Mimika regency on Thursday, which left two employees dead and six
others missing.
Production activities in the Grasberg mine have also been put
on hold for up to two weeks to enable the search for the missing
employees and to clear 2.3 million tons of mud covering the
section.
Minister of Mines and Energy Purnomo Yusgiantoro told a press
conference in Jakarta on Friday that the mudslide occurred mostly
in the southern part of the pit mine area.
"The accident ... affected 13 people, two of them were killed,
five injured and six are still missing," Purnomo said as quoted
by Antara.
One of the survivors had his legs amputated and was flown to
an Australian hospital for further medical treatment.
At least six mining large machines operating in the open pit
mine were also covered by mud in the accident, which occurred at
5:45 a.m. local time. Papua time is two hours ahead of Jakarta.
To probe into the case, the mines and energy ministry
dispatched three mining inspectors and two geotechnology experts
to Tembagapura.
"The team will investigate the incident. The result of their
investigation will be used for the government's next measures,"
he said.
The search, conducted by local police and military, turned up
nothing on Friday.
"There was no development. The search will continue tomorrow,"
Mimika Police deputy chief Comr. Rhinto Prastowo told The Jakarta
Post.
Rhinto said the slippage might have been caused by rain,
although it was not falling heavily at that time.
"The center of the slippage was located about 500 meters from
the workers. But it happened so fast, so the workers could not
get away," he said.
The dead were identified as Budi Kuncoro, 30, and Philipus
Phalas, 30, and were handed over to their relatives in Jakarta
and Makassar, South Sulawesi respectively on Thursday.
Separately, the company's U.S. parent company, Freeport-
McMoran, said on Friday production for the fourth quarter would
be reduced but long-term plans would not be affected, AFP
reported.
PT Freeport Indonesia President Director Adrianto Machribie
said the company would focus on the search for the missing
employees and medical treatment for those injured.
"All the victims were insured." he said.
Asked whether the accident would affect the company's
production target, Adrianto said: "If the problem can be settled
quickly, we can still realize our production plan."
This year, the company set a production target of 1.4 billion
pounds of bronze and 2.6 million ounces of gold.
He said the company would use some of its reserves to fulfill
consumer demand for the coming week.