Search continues for Indonesia quarry collapse victims as death toll rises to 17

Indonesian rescuers are continuing their efforts to locate eight people still missing after a quarry collapse in West Java left at least 17 dead and six injured, with authorities warning of ongoing landslide risks.

Indonesian search and rescue teams pressed on Sunday with efforts to find eight people still trapped beneath rubble following a deadly quarry collapse in West Java’s Cirebon Regency. The incident, which occurred on Friday, has so far claimed 17 lives and left six others injured, according to the country’s national search and rescue agency, Basarnas.

The current death toll is provisional, based on reports from victims' families, Basarnas said in a statement issued late Saturday. Rescue operations are being hampered by dangerous conditions at the site.

West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi said the quarry “does not meet safety standards for workers,” emphasizing the urgent need for regulatory oversight. He posted on Instagram that the site poses significant hazards to those involved in the recovery operation.

The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has launched an investigation into the cause of the collapse and will carry out a geological assessment to evaluate risks of further landslides in the area.

Muhammad Wafid, chief of the ministry's geological agency, noted that the Cirebon region is susceptible to soil movement, especially during periods of heavy rainfall. He said the use of the undercutting method in the open-pit mining operation, combined with the site’s steep cliff slopes, likely contributed to the collapse.

“While carrying out evacuation and search efforts, rescuers must pay attention to the weather and steep slopes, and not carry out activities during and after heavy rain,” Wafid warned, citing ongoing risks of additional landslides that could endanger recovery teams.

As the search continues, concerns are mounting about quarry safety standards in Indonesia, where lax enforcement and hazardous conditions have frequently led to fatal accidents.

Copied