29 Miners Lost underound in NZ

[davey]

As we speak 29 men including a couple of teenagers are not expected to be found alive after an explosion at a coal mine in New Zealand. They are mainly Kiwis but there are two Aussies and two or three other nationalities that realistically have little hope of being found alive.

Underground coal mines are notorious for producing deadly methane and carbon monoxide gas and as this apparently caused the explosion the miners are in deep trouble.

The news of the event is on radio and television here in Australia 24/7 and nothing seems to be going right for the rescuers. It's now been three days and still no-one has entered the mine because of the risk of another explosion.
Mechanical robots have been the preferred method of entering but the first one only made if a few metres before sparking out as it didn't like getting wet. Australia has just sent an additional robot over and another is on its way from the US, but even if the men are alive they have no food and limited water.
They have also been drilling a bore hole from on top of the solid rock hillside into the mine which will enable them to take readings of the air. Aparently that will be finished some time today.

What I find difficult to understand is why 1st wourld countries like Australia and New Zealand don't have much more sophisticated contingency plans for such inevitable events.

Everyone whether religious or not is now just hoping for a miracle.
As a 'once apon a time' Catholic I say God Bless and may the magic of Chilli rub off on New Zealand.
Davey
(sorry about the spelling but I haven't figured out the spell check as yet)

 

[sarahoy]

Terrible tragety

Totally agree Davey a terrible situation for the Kiwis and for the two Aussies. I believe in miracles so I haven't given up hope.
God Bless
Sarah

 

[taysh075]

It's everywhere in the news here in New Zealand. Everything that can go wrong has. Even at work we check into news sights and pray for news. My thoughts really go to there families who are also going through hell right now.

 

[davey]

A little bit of hope

Aparently there is a chance that a few of the miners may have been in an area a long way from the explosion and may be still alive in an air pocket. One of the robots is now nearly 2 kilometres into the mine so at last some promising news.
Here's hoping
Davey

 

[davey]

Another explosion

There's been another explosion in the mine and now they say all hope of finding anyone alive is lost. A very sad day. God help the families.
Davey

 

[same_old]

There was a second massive explosion at the mine this afternoon.

A family briefing was called by police to be told by Supt Gary Knowles that approx 2.37pm local time there had been a massive explosion in the mine which nobody could have survived.

Sobbing relatives emerged from the briefing hugging each other.

Laurie Drew, father of trapped miner Zen Drew, said: "They’ve just told us that the mountain’s blown again. They’re all dead. I don’t know what to say. They’re all dead."

The dead Australians are Josh Ufer and Willy Joynson.

Josh’s pregnant girlfriend Rachelle Weaver is left behind.

Supt Knowles said he had been at the mine at the time of the blast.

"The explosion was so massive that nobody could have survived. This is now a recovery operation."

"This is the worst thing I’ve experienced as a police officer."

Mayor Tony Kokshoorn said there was a lot of anger and frustration in the room. "Everyone started shouting and sobbing. This is the west coast’s darkest day."

"Ironically they’ve now sent SAR teams in."

"I shouldn’t have to bury my son. It should be the other way around."

He called for a Royal Commission of inquiry into the blast.

"I feel sorry for [mine manager] Peter Whittall but this is a terrible thing that has happened to our boys.

"I have to go and console my mother now. I just hope she doesn’t have a heart attack."



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[taysh075]

This is devastating for the people in the Westcoast and indeed all New Zealand. One of the guys lost was only 17 years old and it was his first day at his very first job. Others have children. It's simply awful and I pray that they died quickly in the first explosion. I am simply in tears. God bless them and their families.

 

[same_old]

Hmm, I see one of the miners was a 17 year old kid????

I thought you had to be at least 18 to work in mines- I'm obviously wrong.

They made the right desicion in not sending any rescue crews in though, they were scared of another cave in and thats exactly what happened.