Basarnas Ready To Help Evacuate 7 Freeport Employees Buried By Landslides In Tembagapura Mimika

Screenshots of supervisory videos recording moments of employees being trapped by landslides in the underground mine area of PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI), Tembagapura, Mimika, Central Papua, Monday (8/9/2025). ANTARA/HO

Basarnas is ready to assist in the evacuation of seven employees who were reportedly trapped due to landslides in the underground mine area of PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI), Tembagapura, Mimika, Central Papua.

Basarnas Director of Preparedness Noer Isrodin said the Grassberg mining area was categorized as a limited (retricted area) so that by regulations the emergency handling authority was at the Freeport Emergency Response Group (ERG).

"Yes, this is the ERG Freeport authority that handles it because the area is included in the restricted area. As a regulation," he said when contacted in Jakarta, Tuesday, was confiscated by Antara.

However, officers from the Timika SAR Office have been instructed to be on standby and continue to coordinate with Freeport, if under these conditions they need help.

"Yes, we have informed the Timika SAR Office, we have automatically monitored it because of the emergency handling in the area which understands from Freeport," he said.

Based on information compiled in Timika, Tuesday, the landslide occurred inside the Grasberg Block Cave (GBC) underground mine area on Monday, September 8 at around 23.21 WIT.

The location is exactly below the open mining area of Grasberg, which has been out of operation for several years. The wet material (wetmuck) is thought to have come from the GBC panel area.

In the underground mining area of PTFI in the Tembagapura District, Mimika Regency, Central Papua, there are always shelter facilities (chamber) for workers in the event of a dangerous situation.

Chamber is an emergency facility in an underground mine equipped with clean air supply, logistics, and communication facilities to ensure the safety of workers during emergency situations, such as fires, collapses, or exposure to toxic gases.

The Head of the Tembagapura Police, Iptu Firman, was previously reported saying that his party was still coordinating with the management of PTFI to evacuate seven employees who were reportedly trapped since Monday, September 8 evening.

He also confirmed that there had been no reports of casualties and hoped the seven employees would be safe and could be evacuated immediately.