MEDAN: Two illegal gold miners died after being buried by a landslide in Mandailing Natal regency, North Sumatra, just as the provincial administration was launching a crackdown on illegal gold mines in several areas.
The illegal gold miners were identified as Erlin Nasution from Tarlola village and Zulparman from Aek Guo village. They were buried in Aek Guo village, Batang Natal district, on Saturday afternoon.
Mandailing Natal Police Crimes Investigation (Reskrim) Unit chief Adj. Comr. Tri Boy Alvin Siahaan said the case was still under investigation and that police had questioned several witnesses at the scene of the accident.
He added that police officers have also visited the site as part of the initial investigation.
He added that witnesses said that a group of miners were mining gold illegally on Saturday when suddenly an unstable earth structure caused a landslide at about 4 p.m., falling on the illegal miners.
It was said that both victims were unable to escape immediately.
“Both victims died after being buried by a landslide while manually and illegally digging for gold,” he said on Monday.
Tri added that the victims’ bodies have been evacuated and handed over to their respective families for burial.
He said that landslides have often occurred in areas of illegal gold mining and that the police were studying the possibility of a criminal element in the mining activities.
Mandailing Natal regency has seen repeated numbers of illegal gold miners die after being buried by landslides.
Recently, two other illegal gold miners died in a landslide at illegal gold mines in the Aek Baru area in Simanguntong village, Batang Natal district, on March 18.
Previously, a sole illegal miner fell into a hole while searching for gold and was buried by a landslide at the Pulo Padang illegal gold mine in Simpang Durian village, Linggabayu district, on May 25, 2025.
In 2024, two illegal miners also died at the Sungai Batang Gadis illegal gold mine in Lubuk Sibegu village, Penyabungan district, on July 9, 2024.
The largest fatality incident took place in April 2022 when 12 women miners died in Bandar Limabung village, Linggabayu district.
Last week, a joint team from the North Sumatra provincial administration took action against several illegal gold mines along rivers in Kotanopan district, Mandailing Natal regency.
Those illegal gold mines were allegedly managed by GD and PW for quite some time.
The miners escaped into the forest upon learning that officials had arrived.
North Sumatra Environment and Forestry Agency head Heri Wahyudi Marpaung said the crackdown on illegal gold mines was carried out jointly at the provincial and regency levels to demonstrate the administration’s seriousness in enforcing the law and restoring areas damaged by illegal mining.
He said there were numerous illegal gold mining operations using heavy equipment in Mandailing Natal regency, despite posing an environmental threat.
“Illegal gold mining has killed many people and seriously damaged the environment. We must stop this,” he said.
“We will also launch a crackdown on illegal gold mines in other regencies.” - Jakarta Post/ANN
