With the first COVID-19 case identified in PNG, OTML’s primary concern remains to do everything practical to prevent the virus entering its operations and its communities.
Managing Director and CEO Peter Graham said the repatriation of expatriate employees and contractors continued over the weekend with three charter flights to Cairns from Tabubil.
The Company has cancelled all bookings for international travellers scheduled to return to Tabubil via Port Moresby except pilots and aircrew for its chartered aircrafts returning empty from overseas.
The government announced ban on domestic flights for the next 14 days prevents national FIFO crews due for break in the next 14 days from travelling out and relief crews returning to site.
“We support this step as a logical and timely decision by government to apply a circuit breaker to the potential spread of the virus” said Graham.
Ok Tedi Mining Limited is implementing plans to minimise any impacts on operations over the next 14 days while managing the potential for fatigue and distractions amongst crews.