SAR Operations Stuck 8 Miners From Bogor In Banyumas Stopped, No One Has Been Successfully Evacuated

The family representatives sprinkled flowers on the inscription marking the location of the trapped 8 miners in the mine well, Grumbul Tajur, Pancurendang Village, Ajibarang District, Banyumas Regency, Tuesday (1/8/2023). ANTARA/Sumarwoto

The joint team-search and rescue (SAR) coordinated by the Cilacap SAR Office has stopped evacuation efforts against eight miners trapped in a mining well, Pancurendang Village, Banyumas Regency, Central Java.

While leading the closing ceremony for SAR operations at the scene, Head of the Cilacap SAR Office Adah Sudarsa said the joint SAR team had carried out various evacuation efforts since the SAR operation was carried out on Wednesday (26/7).

"Based on the results of the analysis and deliberation between the joint SAR team, experts, and the families of the victims, the SAR operation was declared closed," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, August 1.

In this regard, he expressed his gratitude for all SAR elements, both those involved and all those who have provided support in the SAR operation.

"On behalf of the joint SAR team, we apologize profusely and share our condolences for the tragedy that occurred. May the bereaved family be given patience and fortitude," he said.

When giving a press statement after the apple, Adah said that according to the standard operating procedure (SOP) of Basarnas, if signs of victims not being found or the operation is no longer efficient, the SAR operation can be closed.

However, if something goes wrong or anything else, he said, SAR operations could reopen.

"If there are signs, we can carry out SAR operations again," he explained.

Meanwhile, Commander of Military Resort Command 071/Wijayakusuma Colonel Czi Mohammad Andhy Kusuma said that until now there has been no significant progress on the results of the joint SAR team's evacuation.

According to him, there were main obstacles in the evacuation effort in the form of geographical circumstances because the hole or mining well was inundated by the water, making it difficult for the joint SAR team to evacuate.

"Then also the deep mining conditions, then also access to a very narrow hole, so that until now we still have not been able to carry out the evacuation," he said.

Nevertheless, he said the joint SAR team had carried out maximum efforts by bringing in various tools to suck water from inside the mining well, both on the surface and on the surface.

Because the water discharge that must be issued is higher, he said, so far there has been no significant development.

"Then we have also made efforts to dam infiltration water sources that allow an increase in water discharge, but until now we have not been able to get maximum results, so that with our mutual agreement today in accordance with the SOP from Basarnas, we declare that for this evacuation operation we will stop it," said Danrem.

One of the representatives of the victim's family, Aden admitted that he was involved in the evacuation efforts carried out by the joint SAR team since the first day of the SAR operation was held on Wednesday (26/7).

In this regard, he expressed his gratitude to all elements involved in the SAR operation.

"Hopefully all the deceased, all eight of whom were forgiven for all their sins, accepted their deeds of worship. I may not be able to go long because indeed I represent a family that is not strong enough to convey everything," he said.

Before the closing ceremony, the SAR operation was carried out by an occult prayer carried out by representatives of SAR elements and the victim's family, followed by a sowing of flowers around the mining well that had been given an inscription that included the names of the victims.

Eight miners have reportedly been trapped in an illegal gold well, Pancurendang Village, Ajibarang District, Banyumas, since Tuesday (25/7), at 23.00 WIB, because suddenly water came inundating the well.

The eight trapped miners consisted of Cecep Suriyana (29), Muhammad Rama Abd Rohman (38), Ajat (29), Mad Kholis (32), Marmumin (32), Muhidin (44), Jumadi (33), and Mulyadi (40) and all of them came from Bogor Regency, West Java.