Deadly Collision In Papua's Arfak Mountains, 18 Mine Workers Killed, 10 Critically

The deadly collision in the Arfak Mountains killed 18 miners from NTT. (Between)

PAPUA - A truck carrying mining workers in West Papua crashed into a mountain section at KM 10, the Arfak Mountains. The deadly collision caused 18 workers from East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) to die.

"A total of 79 people boarded the truck when they were going to the city center," said Clinton Tallo, the head of the harmony of Flores, Lembata, Timor, Rote, Alor (Flobamora) Clinton Tallo when contacted from Kupang, Wednesday, April 13.

He said that currently, the names of a number of victims of the accident are being collected, so that the names of the victims will be released later.

However, he said, there are now around 10 people who are still in critical condition and are still being treated intensively by health workers in the area.

"For the names of the victims, we are still coordinating with the relevant parties," he said, as reported by Antara.

He detailed that of the 18 people who had an accident and died there were 16 people from Belu and Malacca Regencies, one person from Amarasi, Kupang Regency, the other from Sikka Regency.

The workers, he said, were residents who worked in the mines at a company owned by Toko Tengah, Manokwari.

Regarding the planned burial of a number of victims, he said that later they would be taken to NTT using a charter plane and were currently in preparation. "All the costs of returning the bodies will be borne by the company where they work," he added.

According to the schedule, the body will be departed on Thursday, April 14 tomorrow, using a Lion Air plane at 14.00 WTA. "Tonight, all the bodies will be buried in the secretariat of the Flobamora family in Manokwari and then flown to NTT tomorrow," said Clinton Tallo.