Two dead, one missing after tin mining accident at Timah site

Two miners were killed and one remains missing following a tin mining accident at a site operated by a contractor of state-controlled miner PT Timah Tbk (IDX: TINS), the company said on Friday.

The incident occurred at around 1:00 p.m. local time on Friday in Lembah Jambu, Sinar Surya village, Tempilang subdistrict, in the Bangka Belitung Islands province.

"With a heavy heart, we report that two miners from our business partner lost their lives in this incident, and one is still missing," PT Timah spokesperson Anggi Siahaan said in a statement. "The company expresses its deepest condolences over this tragedy."

Emergency response protocols were activated immediately, and search and evacuation operations are ongoing, the company said.

Read also: Timah says rare earth processing still economically unviable

Of the six miners involved in the operation, five have been found. The company is continuing efforts to locate the remaining missing worker, it added.

The cause of the accident is under investigation. Timah said it has coordinated with relevant authorities and the Mining Inspectorate in line with regulatory procedures.

"Safety remains the company's top priority. We are committed to implementing improvements to prevent similar incidents in the future," the spokesperson said.

Timah is one of the world’s largest tin producers and operates under Indonesia’s state-owned mining holding company MIND ID.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak