Inp.polri.go.id - Timika. Rescuers recovered the bodies of two workers trapped in PT Freeport Indonesia’s Grasberg Block Cave underground mine in Tembagapura, Papua Tengah, on Saturday morning. 

The victims, identified as Irawan (46) from Central Java’s Cilacap and Wigih Hartono (37) from Tulungagung, East Java, were found intact under wet landslide material at around 8.45 am local time.

“The bodies were discovered at the same location, buried under debris,” said Mimika Sub-regional Police Superintendent AKBP Billyandha Hildiario Budiman, as quoted by antaranews.com over the weekend. 

He added that identification and autopsies are being carried out before the bodies are flown home to their families later today.

Seven workers were initially trapped underground on 8 September 2025, consisting of five employees from PT Redpath Indonesia and two electricians from PT Cipta Kontrak under Freeport’s Operations Maintenance Division. While two have been found dead, five remain unaccounted for as rescue efforts continue.

Freeport earlier confirmed that teams are working nonstop with heavy equipment, drills, and drones, despite massive volumes of unstable wet material.

(mg/inp/pr/rs)