Inp.polri.go.id - Padang. Nine illegal gold miners were killed after a landslide buried them in Koto VII District, Sijunjung Regency, West Sumatra, at around 12.30 pm on Thursday when a nearby 30-meter cliff suddenly collapsed onto the workers.

"There were nine victims out of 12 mine workers present at the location during the incident," West Sumatra Regional Police Head of Public Relations Senior Superintendent Susmelawati Rosya said on Friday (15/5/2026).. 

She added that three other workers survived the landslide, while the bodies of the deceased were recovered and returned to their families for burial.

The West Sumatra police and the West Sumatra administration have launched multiple operations to curb illegal mining, according to antaranews.com. Despite frequent law enforcement raids across several cities, authorities noted that illegal miners routinely resume operations once police supervision ends.

(mg/inp/pr/rs)