October 5, 2025 | 06:01 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Mining company PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) announced that one worker, who was a victim in a landslide incident at the Grasberg Block Cave underground mine, was recovered today, October 5, 2025.
"At around 12:01 WIT (Eastern Indonesian Time), the Emergency Response Team of PT Freeport Indonesia found the body of one of our five trapped colleagues," said PTFI President Director Tony Wenas in a written statement on Sunday.
Tony confirmed the deceased was one of the five workers trapped in the slide. He stated that the company would begin the identification process following the evacuation.
The landslide at PT Freeport Indonesia's Grasberg Block Cave underground mine occurred late Monday night, September 8, 2025, around 10:00 p.m. WIT. Initially, the company reported that seven workers were trapped in the mining area.
PTFI Vice President Corporate Communications Katri Krisnati explained that a large amount of material flowed from one of the production intake points in an underground mine block. This blocked access to certain areas and restricted the evacuation routes for the seven contractor workers.
"The location of the trapped workers has been identified, and they are believed to be safe. Our team is working to open access so the evacuation process can be carried out quickly and safely," Katri said in a written statement on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.
She added that in addition to clearing routes, the company ensured the workers' needs were met while awaiting rescue. Mining operations were temporarily halted to prioritize rescue efforts.
Katri noted that mining activities in the Grasberg Block Cave are generally conducted with remotely controlled equipment. However, the material flow blocked the access route where the workers were performing mining development activities. "All other workers have been confirmed safe," she said.
Landslides are not new at the Freeport mines. Tempo's reports document a landslide on May 14, 2013, claimed the lives of 28 workers out of 34 trapped workers. Two weeks later, on May 31, 2013, another worker was injured after being hit by mud material and required hospitalization.
Tjahono EP and Nandito Putra contributed to the report
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