Rescuers recover two bodies after Freeport Indonesia mine collapse in Papua

Rescue teams at PT Freeport Indonesia's Grasberg Block Cave mine in Mimika, Central Papua, have recovered the bodies of two workers trapped in a wet material slide on Saturday, September 20, 2025 at 08:45 local time.  The Grasberg Mine is the world's largest gold mine and the third-largest copper mine. It is located in Mimika Regency, Central Papua, Indonesia.

The victims, identified as Wigih Hartono from Tulungagung, East Java, and Irawan from Cilacap, Central Java, were both electricians at the underground mine. Their remains were flown to their hometowns the same day. "On behalf of the company and personally, I extend my deepest condolences to the families.

PT Freeport Indonesia will continue to support them during this difficult time," Freeport Indonesia President Director Tony Wenas said as quoted in a statement, on Saturday, September 20, 2025. The material slide, which occurred on September 8, 2025 at around 10 p.m. local time, left seven workers trapped underground. With two bodies now recovered, five workers remain missing.

Mimika Police Chief, Adjunct Senior Commissioner Billyandha Hildiario Budiman, confirmed that the bodies were found intact in the same location beneath the collapsed material and are undergoing forensic examination.

Search operations are continuing amid challenging underground conditions.