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Driver named suspect in Freeport accident
The Mimika Police have named JW, the driver of a haul truck, a suspect in an accident that occurred in the open-pit Grasberg mine operated by PT Freeport Indonesia on Sept
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T
he Mimika Police have named JW, the driver of a haul truck, a suspect in an accident that occurred in the open-pit Grasberg mine operated by PT Freeport Indonesia on Sept.27, killing four workers.
The police's crime investigation unit chief Adj.Comr. Saraju said in Timika on Tuesday that JW had been detained at the police's headquarters.
He said the police still had to complete the case dossiers by gathering information from witnesses, including the victims' colleagues who are undergoing medical treatment in Jakarta hospitals.
'We have been informed that two patients are ready to undergo questioning. We have sent investigators from the crime investigation unit to Jakarta to question the two patients,' said Saraju.
The accident took place at around 7:20 p.m. local time on Sept.27 at the mine when a haul truck ran over a Toyota LWB van carrying eight employees and a driver heading to their work site. Five employees survived the incident. The Grasberg incident was previously being handled by the Tembagapura Police before it handed over the case to the Mimika Police.
He said JW's carelessness led to the death of others. The police had yet to find any indication of the involvement of others in the incident, he added.
The four dead victims have been identified as Luther Patanggi, Nursio, Simon Seba and Richardo Tomasila.
Following the incident, thousands for workers blockaded road access to Freeport mining areas in front of the Ridge Camp security office on Mil 71, Tembagapura, on Oct.1. The blockade was aimed at pushing Freeport management take responsibility for the death of 44 Freeport workers in a number of incidents in the largest gold mine in the world.
The workers ended their protest after Mimika Regent Eltinus Omaleng and Mimika consultative forum (Muspida) members held a dialogue with Freeport workers on Oct.2. (ebf)(+++)
