Freeport employee dies on Carstensz Peak

PAPUA. Erik Airlangga, a Freeport Indonesia employee, has died, most-likely from hypothermia, on Carstensz Peak, Papua, after he and his climbing group members were caught in extreme weather, a police officer has said.

“One climber died on the Carstensz Pyramid trail. His body has been flown to Tasikmalaya, West Java,” said Tembagapura Police chief First Insp. Hasmulyadi in Timika, on Sunday.

Erik was one of 30 Freeport employees who took part in the Carstensz climb to celebrate the company’s anniversary and to commemorate this year’s Kartini Day. “In their descent from the summit, they were suddenly caught in extreme weather. Erik, who was the climbing guide, suffered from hypothermia. He died as other climbers tried to bring him to Tembagapura Hospital,” said Hasmulyadi.

Erik is a Freeport worker employed in the geotech division at the company’s Big Gossan mining area. “He was given medical treatment by Freeport’s emergency unit but could not be saved,” Hasmulyadi said. He added that other climbers had been taken to Tembagapura Hospital in Mimika, Papua.

Erik’s body was flown from Timika to Tasikmalaya on a Garuda Indonesia flight on Sunday.

US-based gold and copper miner PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) said in a press statement that information about Erik’s death was received by the company’s command center on Sunday.

Erik and other climbers in the PTFI climbing group, which comprised 32 people, began their trip to Carstensz on April 14.

“He was given emergency treatment from PTFI’s Emergency preparedness and response team, which also participated in the climbing. His body was flown from Tembagapura Hospital to Jakarta before being taken to his hometown, Tasikmalaya, West Java, at noon on Sunday,” said PTFI corporate communications vice president Riza Pratama.

Riza said an investigation into the incident was being conducted by security authorities, adding that the PTFI team had also assisted in the process of returning Erik’s body to his hometown, as well as helping with his burial. (Nethy Dharma Somba)