BAU: An attempt by three villagers to dig for gold at Gunung Tabai Cave near Kampung Bidi, Krokong ended with one of them dead – buried under a rockfall today.
Rescuers had to put off efforts to extract the body of Mat Tapa, aged 25 from Kampung Bijuray Monggag from under the rubbles inside a hole in the cave today evening for fear of a cave-in.
“We were able to reach the victim’s leg but did not have time to pull him out because a rockfall happened again to bury the body,” said Bau Fire and Rescue Station chief Tawang Linggem.
He said their operation was called off at 5pm today because of rain and the risk of more rockfalls.
Tawang who was at the scene with State Fire and Rescue Department director Khirudin Drahman said the rescue team was able to reach the victim’s location at about 2.30pm.
When he tried to pull the victim’s leg, a large rock came crushing down, pinning the victim’s body.
Local villagers are among the dozens of rescuers in the SAR. 
The villagers aid in the search operation.
“Now only his hands and feet are visible, his body is buried in the ground,” he said in an interview at the scene.
Tawang added that his party would try other strategies to take the victim’s body when the rescue operation continues today, after the ‘shoring’ method used today was ineffective due to the narrow passage in the cave.
“It is very difficult to extract the victim’s body because the space is very narrow and dangerous … it is very risky for the rescue team,” he said.
According to Tawang, the victim had gone to the mountain with two other friends at about 5pm on Tuesday to search for gold.
He said their action of digging a hole in the mountain caused a rockfall which hit the victim while two of his friends survived.
“Only one person (the victim) was trapped, the other two managed to get out at about 5am today and informed the villagers about the incident,” he said.
Tawang said Gunung Tabai is a restricted area but illegal gold seekers had often trespassed into the area to dig for the precious metal.
The last fatal incident involving illegal gold mining in Gunung Tabai was about 10 years ago.
In the incident on July 2011, a form six student from Kampung Bijuray died after a large loose rock fell and pinned him.
He suffered from a serious back injury, believed to be a broken back bone and succumbed to his injuries at the Sarawak General Hospital.
Earlier in March 2011, an illegal gold miner Chai Say Chong, 28, was also killed at the same spot.
Chai was said to be prospecting for gold some 24 metres underground when a slab of rock collapsed on him.
