In Indonesia gunmen attacked a helicopter which was transporting mine workers from the Freeport McMoRan gold and copper mine in the east of the country.
As per the police spokesperson, Col Wachjono, one person was wounded in the attack.
The injured victim was the wife of a Freeport employee. She is being treated for shrapnel wounds. The attack took place on Saturday as a number of workers came back to the Grasberg mine to resume work after a three month strike. The strike at the mine located in the Papua province was over the issue of low wages.
The Russian pilots were able to fly the damaged helicopter with 29 workers from the mining town of Tembagapura to Timika located 55 miles away, and conduct a safe landing. The workers had just come off from their shift and boarded the helicopter when the firing began.
As per Col Wachyono, a total of six shots were fired. One went through a window while the rest hit the rotors of the helicopter. The motive and perpetrator behind the attack are as yet undetermined. Sabotage and strikes have crippled the operations at the huge gold and copper deposit at Grasberg mine.