JAKARTA, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- All seven workers trapped in a wet material slide at PT Freeport Indonesia's Grasberg Block Cave Underground Mine in Central Papua province have been confirmed dead, the company said in a statement on Monday.
The incident occurred on Sept. 8 in Mimika Regency. After 27 days of continuous search and rescue operations, a joint team comprising PT Freeport Indonesia, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, local police, the National Search and Rescue Agency, and the Regional Disaster Management Agency recovered the last five bodies on Sunday. Two other victims were found earlier on Sept. 20.
PT Freeport Indonesia said the rescue process was extremely challenging due to the complex location and an estimated 800,000 tons of wet material that buried the site.
Tony Wenas, president director of PT Freeport Indonesia, expressed profound condolences to the families of the victims and paid tribute to the rescue teams for their tireless efforts. He said the company will continue to provide full support to the families and ensure the remains are handled with respect.
An investigation into the cause of the accident is underway, with the company pledging a thorough and transparent process aimed at preventing similar incidents in the future. ■
