Police confirm 12 illegal miners buried alive in Pongkors

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BOGOR -- Police confirmed that 12 illegal miners had been buried alive in a gold mine tunnel following landslides in the district of Bogor, West Java.

They are all people from the sub-district of Naggung, Bogor police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Suyudi said at Gunung Mas Pongkor, a gold mining concession of the state owned mining company PT Aneka Tambang.

"They are all illegal miners trapped in the mine tunnel since Tuesday," Suyudi said.

The tunnels have been closed and refilled with soil but illegal miners dug the land hoping to find gold, her said.

There are 214 mine tunnels in Pongkor and all of them have been closed, he added.

"We have repeatedly warned the people to stop illegal mining. We told them it was a crime and warned them against danger against their lives as what is feared to happen today," he said.

It is not yet known the condition of the 12 people trapped in the tunnel , 50 meter deep and 50 centimeters wide.

The narrow tunnel makes it difficult for evacuation especially as the ground is labile after the landslide on the hill slope.

Illegal miners have often disturbed the mining operation of PT Aneka Tambang and damaged the environment, polluting the water of the Cikaniki river as the illegal miners used mercury in their operation.

Early September, police arrested 22 illegal miners and buyers of gold from the illegal miners.

The 12 illegal miners trapped in the gold mine tunnel are identified as :

1. Ade from the village of Pasir Maung, Parakan Muncang

2. Yogi from the village of Cogrek, Parakan Muncang.

3. Ukon, from the village of Cogrek, Parakan Muncang.

4. Solikin from the village of Tangseng, Sukajaya, Cigudeg.

5. Junet from the village ofTangseng, Sukayaja, Cigudeg.

6. Roy from the village of Tangseng, Sukayaja, Cigudeg.

7. Handi from the village ofTangseng, Sukayaja, Cigudeg.

8. Didi from the village of Tangseng, Sukayaja, Cigudeg.

9. Mista from the village of Tangseng, Sukayaja, Cigudeg.

10. Indra from the village ofLegok Cauk, Curuk Bitung.