Riau Coal Mine Landslide Buries Worker

Pekanbaru, Riau, Jan 12 (ANTARA) - A worker, Marzuki, had been buried in a mine for more than a week following a landslide at the coal mine of PT Riau Bara Harum (RBH) in Siambul Block, Batang Gangsal sub-district, Indragiri Hulu (Inhu)regency, Riau province. "The victim has not been found," Inhu police chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Hermansyah said on Wednesday. The RBH open pit slipped down on January 3, 2012 at 5 pm. At that time Marzuki, a heavy equipment operator of PT Kasuari sub-contractor, was in coal cauldron. "At that time it was heavily raining and caused a landslide," Hermansyah said. He said the hole of the landslide is 50 meters deep, and the victim was buried along with his heavy machine. He said the company is still trying to located the victim for evacuation. The fate of Marzuki, of Seresam village, Siberida sub-district, Inhu, was still unknown, and there is very small chance that he was still alive. "The police is securing the mining location," he said. No official statement had been made by PT RBH on the incident which had buried the worker. RBH is a private coal mine company set up in 1990. The company had an exploitation license issued in 2005 and will expire by the end of 2035. The RBH concession in Riau covers 24,450 hectares some 250 kilometers from Pekanbaru.