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New Zealand mourns for dead miners
Source: Agencies |
November 26, 2010, Friday
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FLAGS hung at half-staff, churchgoers gathered at special services and lawmakers broke into a solemn hymn in Parliament yesterday, as New Zealanders mourned 29 men killed in the nation's worst mining disaster in decades.
A huge gas-fueled explosion deep underground on Wednesday ended hopes of rescuing the miners, who were caught in a similar blast five days earlier.
Recovery teams were prevented from entering the mine by high levels of potentially explosive methane and other toxic gases still filling the mine's tunnels. Officials said it could be weeks or months before the victims' bodies could be removed and returned to their grieving families.
Mine operators said they were determined to bring out the bodies.
"I still want them back and their families want them back and we'll be doing everything we can to make that happen. My love and support are with those guys," said Peter Whittall, CEO of Pike River Coal.
But testing showed gas levels surged again soon after Wednesday's explosion and another blast was possible. Methane was leaking from the coal seam, and a smoldering fire somewhere in the mine was producing other toxic gas and a potential ignition source, officials said.
Mining experts planned to expel oxygen from the mine, which could fuel a further explosion. One option was to pump inert gas into the mine to push the oxygen out, another was to seal the mine to stifle any burning then enter when it was safe, Whittall said.
The recovery effort could take weeks, he said.
Prime Minister John Key said previous experience overseas suggests the operation could take months.
Key met again with victims' relatives yesterday, and promised them a thorough investigation.
"They have accepted that their loved ones are gone - but they want answers," Key said.
Flags flew at half-staff across New Zealand, and special church services were held. Another mining company, Solid Energy, suspended operations at two underground mines for the day in a show of respect.
It emerged yesterday a rescue team was readying to go into the mine on Wednesday shortly before the second blast. A team was in full gear and ready to begin searching when gas levels suddenly spiked and the mission was called off. The explosion followed soon after, with no warning.
"She was all go" for the rescue effort, said Geoff Valli, whose brother Keith was among those killed. "They explained just how close they were to going in. It was bloody scary. It could have been so much worse."
A huge gas-fueled explosion deep underground on Wednesday ended hopes of rescuing the miners, who were caught in a similar blast five days earlier.
Recovery teams were prevented from entering the mine by high levels of potentially explosive methane and other toxic gases still filling the mine's tunnels. Officials said it could be weeks or months before the victims' bodies could be removed and returned to their grieving families.
Mine operators said they were determined to bring out the bodies.
"I still want them back and their families want them back and we'll be doing everything we can to make that happen. My love and support are with those guys," said Peter Whittall, CEO of Pike River Coal.
But testing showed gas levels surged again soon after Wednesday's explosion and another blast was possible. Methane was leaking from the coal seam, and a smoldering fire somewhere in the mine was producing other toxic gas and a potential ignition source, officials said.
Mining experts planned to expel oxygen from the mine, which could fuel a further explosion. One option was to pump inert gas into the mine to push the oxygen out, another was to seal the mine to stifle any burning then enter when it was safe, Whittall said.
The recovery effort could take weeks, he said.
Prime Minister John Key said previous experience overseas suggests the operation could take months.
Key met again with victims' relatives yesterday, and promised them a thorough investigation.
"They have accepted that their loved ones are gone - but they want answers," Key said.
Flags flew at half-staff across New Zealand, and special church services were held. Another mining company, Solid Energy, suspended operations at two underground mines for the day in a show of respect.
It emerged yesterday a rescue team was readying to go into the mine on Wednesday shortly before the second blast. A team was in full gear and ready to begin searching when gas levels suddenly spiked and the mission was called off. The explosion followed soon after, with no warning.
"She was all go" for the rescue effort, said Geoff Valli, whose brother Keith was among those killed. "They explained just how close they were to going in. It was bloody scary. It could have been so much worse."
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