Searchers find one more body at Grasberg

Searchers find one more body at Grasberg

Miningindo News

November 17, 2003

The search and rescue (SAR) team at the scene of last month's tragic accident in the Grasberg open pit of PT Freeport Indonesia's copper and gold mine in Papua Province, has recovered one more body from the more than 2.3 million tonnes of rock which collapsed on October 9 burying 8 workers and huge heavy equipment.

The Koran Tempo daily newspaper reported on Saturday, (November 15) the victim was identified as 44-year old Warto, a bulldozer operator from Surabaya. Freeport's manager for corporate communications, Mindo Pangaribuan said that it took longer time to take out the decomposed body from the ill fated mine.

"It (body) was found during the night. Moreover, they took it from hundreds of meters of depth in Grasberg mine," Mindo said.

After reaching the surface, the body was identified by the Tambagapura Hospital before being sent to grieving relatives in Surabaya, East Java.

Freeport said earlier that it would fulfil all its obligations to pay the compensation to victims as per the company rules.

The search continues for the remaining missing victims, Fredrikus Tokan, Agus Quilem, J Fiani Bolung and Suradi.

Meanwhile, the central government appointed investigation team reversed its earlier comments last week when it blamed over-production by Freeport at the expense of safety or the accident. The mine is still closed.