Four dead, 23 still trapped after Indonesia mine collapse

The death toll from an accident at a US-owned mine in remote eastern Indonesia rose to four on Wednesday, as rescuers struggled to reach 23 workers still trapped underground in a collapsed tunnel.

Ten people have been rescued alive following the accident early on Tuesday at Freeport-McMoRan’s Grasberg, one of the world’s biggest gold and copper mines that is high in the mountains of rugged Papua province.

It was the latest problem for the mine, which was hit by a major strike in 2011 that crippled production.

“The rescue team has found 14 people – four were dead and 10 have been rescued alive,” said local police chief Sudirman, who like many Indonesians goes by one name.

He said all 14 were Indonesians and that he did not know the condition of those rescued.

Some 40 employees and contractors were in a classroom in the tunnel, part of a training facility and not one of the mining areas, when it caved in, according to Freeport’s Indonesian subsidiary.