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Police open criminal investigation into West Java fatal quarry collapse
The rockslide at Mount Kuda quarry occurred around 10 a.m., injuring six people and burying more than two dozen others, mostly mining workers and drivers.
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Rescuers use heavy equipment to search for landslide victims buried under rocks at a mine site in Cipanas, Dukupuntang, Cirebon regency, West Java, on May 30, 2025. (AFP/Rizky Tambunan)
T
he Cirebon Police in West Java have launched a criminal investigation into the fatal rockslide at a limestone quarry on Mount Kuda on Friday, which killed at least 20 people.
Cirebon Police chief Sr. Comr. Sumarni said authorities had arrested two people in connection with the incident and were currently conducting a further investigation to identify other potential suspects.
“The first suspect is a 59-year-old AK, who served as the head of the cooperative managing the quarry. The second is AR, a 35-year-old who worked as the mining site’s supervisor,” he said on Sunday, as reported by Kompas.
The limestone quarry is operated by a cooperative owned by the Al Azhariyah Islamic boarding school, which has a permit valid to mine at the site until 2025.
Sumarni said that both AK and AR had ignored two official warnings issued by the West Java Energy and Mineral Resources Agency, which ordered them to stop mining activities due to administrative violations.
“The letters were sent in January and March, but both suspects disregarded them and continued mining operations as usual,” he said.
The cooperative also failed to implement adequate safety standards in accordance with prevailing regulations, including using improper mining methods and equipment, which contributed to the disaster.
