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Families and friends of 29 men trapped in a coal mine on New Zealands West Coast are pushing for the start of a rescue operation three days after an explosion at the pit.
Rescue teams late yesterday were waiting for air quality to improve before entering the Pike River Coal Co. mine about 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of Greymouth on the nations South Island. No contact has been made with the men since an explosion cut communications at around 3:50 p.m. local time on Nov. 19.
The longer they are there, what are their chances? said Shayne Gregg, proprietor of the Ikamatua Hotel, 17 kilometers from where a police roadblock ensures only official access to the mine. Everyone sort of knows its not going to be good,
Thoughts have turned to a blast at the Strongman coal mine, also near Greymouth, in 1967 that killed 19 men. In 1896 an explosion at a mine near the town of Brunner, which is on the road between Greymouth and the Pike River site, killed 65.
This still remains a rescue operation, said Police commander Gary Knowles. Were still looking at going underground and bringing these guys out.
As the vigil continues, some prefer not to talk. Staff at The Coal Face, a Greymouth restaurant featuring a yellow budgie sitting quietly in its cage and pictures of shovel-wielding miners, politely refused to comment. Elsewhere a waitress silently shook her head.
The West Coast is soaked in mining, Robin Kingston, assistant priest at the Holy Trinity Anglican church in Greymouth, said in an interview. Everyone understands this tragedy. It hits hard because this is a big mining community and has had massive mining tragedies in the past.
Chilean Comparisons
The wait for news on the mens fate has prompted comparisons with the October rescue of 33 miners in Chile, brought to the surface after being trapped in a shaft more than 600 meters (1,970 feet) below the Atacama desert for 70 days.
More than 1 billion people watched live on television networks around the world, Chiles TVN reported, as the 33 were each lifted to safety in a four-meter long capsule in the worlds longest mine rescue.
Everyone is sitting, looking at New Zealand and hoping the outcome is the same as in Chile, Prime Minister John Key told Television New Zealand today. There has to be hope and I believe that there should be hope.
Key said President Barack Obama, U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron and many other leaders had been in touch with him to pass on their support. Key will visit Greymouth today to meet rescue workers and families, he said.
Questions, Inquiry
Greymouth Mayor Tony Kokshoorn expects there will be an inquiry, at the appropriate time.
We know there are going to be some questions, you can feel it just rising up, he told Television New Zealand. Theres a lot of questions, a lot of allegations starting. Were talking about 29 miners here that supposedly should have been safe.
Gregg, 43, of the Ikamatua Hotel, shares the frustrations of many who say not enough has been done to extract the 16 Pike River employees and 13 contractors ranging in age from 17 to 62. Knowles says he isnt prepared to risk the lives of rescue workers and the trapped men until hes sure its safe.
Coal Trains
If it was my boy, Id grab a helicopter or something and go straight in, said Gregg.
Ikamatua locals were pretty cut up, said Gregg, who worked at the mine workshop before taking over the hotel two years ago.
While not many Ikamatua residents work at the mine, the companys loading facility is on the towns edge where a black stack of coal is visible. Trains carrying coal regularly roll along the track running parallel to the main road that splits the town. A local engineering business relies heavily on mine work, Gregg said.
Pike River began construction of the mine in September 2006, building its own road to the site. The police checkpoint sits at the start of that road, alongside green pastures servicing another of the regions important industries, dairying.
The coal seam was reached in October 2008. Pike River exported its first coal in February, a year late after problems with equipment and a rock fall in a ventilation shaft in February 2009. The company went to investors for an extra NZ$41 million ($31.9 million) in March last year and NZ$50 million in April this year.
Coking Coal
Pike River is part-owned by Indias Gujarat NRE Coke Ltd. and Saurashtra Fuels Pvt., which also take some low-ash, low- phosphorus coking coal. New Zealand Oil & Gas Ltd. is the biggest investor with a 30 percent stake and an option to take coal negotiated as part of a refinancing deal in April.
The mine was forecast to produce 320,000 to 360,000 metric tons of coal in the year through June, the company said Oct. 19. That almost halved an April forecast.
Pike River shares slumped 14 percent to 61 Australian cents in Sydney Nov. 19 before trading was halted. The company fell 4.4 percent to 88 New Zealand cents by the Wellington close.
Chief Executive Officer Peter Whittall wont comment on the mines future. The company doesnt know the cause of the explosion or the extent of any damage, he told reporters yesterday as he defended the safety procedures under the ground.
I take safety very seriously, he said. The systems and management are absolutely dedicated to safety at this mine.
Gas Mixture
Whittall yesterday said there were signs of combustion that were generating a mix of gases making it unsafe to begin a rescue. The company began drilling a six-inch (15 centimeter) shaft as long as 150 meters from the surface into one of the mine tunnels to gather air samples. Helicopters lowered sampling equipment for a second day into a ventilation shaft, he said.
Rescuers are monitoring levels of gases including methane, carbon dioxide and ethane, Superintendent Knowles told reporters yesterday. A 16-member team is waiting to enter the mine.
Safety is paramount, he said. Were dealing with peoples lives here, and my operation is around safety and rescue, bringing these guys out alive if we can.
Families are distraught, Knowles said. They understand the things were facing. They understand the danger of sending people underground and causing a reaction we dont want.
Representatives from each family were bused to the mine site yesterday. Red Cross and other social services are supporting relatives of the trapped miners, while the wider Greymouth community is waiting for news.
We are seeing a considerable amount of pain, and deep concern, said Reverend Kingston, whose parishioners include rescue crew members, support workers and friends of the miners families. The community is looking to the church for its spiritual strength. Everyone understands tragedy. They all know the risks.
Rescue teams late yesterday were waiting for air quality to improve before entering the Pike River Coal Co. mine about 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of Greymouth on the nations South Island. No contact has been made with the men since an explosion cut communications at around 3:50 p.m. local time on Nov. 19.
The longer they are there, what are their chances? said Shayne Gregg, proprietor of the Ikamatua Hotel, 17 kilometers from where a police roadblock ensures only official access to the mine. Everyone sort of knows its not going to be good,
Thoughts have turned to a blast at the Strongman coal mine, also near Greymouth, in 1967 that killed 19 men. In 1896 an explosion at a mine near the town of Brunner, which is on the road between Greymouth and the Pike River site, killed 65.
This still remains a rescue operation, said Police commander Gary Knowles. Were still looking at going underground and bringing these guys out.
As the vigil continues, some prefer not to talk. Staff at The Coal Face, a Greymouth restaurant featuring a yellow budgie sitting quietly in its cage and pictures of shovel-wielding miners, politely refused to comment. Elsewhere a waitress silently shook her head.
The West Coast is soaked in mining, Robin Kingston, assistant priest at the Holy Trinity Anglican church in Greymouth, said in an interview. Everyone understands this tragedy. It hits hard because this is a big mining community and has had massive mining tragedies in the past.
Chilean Comparisons
The wait for news on the mens fate has prompted comparisons with the October rescue of 33 miners in Chile, brought to the surface after being trapped in a shaft more than 600 meters (1,970 feet) below the Atacama desert for 70 days.
More than 1 billion people watched live on television networks around the world, Chiles TVN reported, as the 33 were each lifted to safety in a four-meter long capsule in the worlds longest mine rescue.
Everyone is sitting, looking at New Zealand and hoping the outcome is the same as in Chile, Prime Minister John Key told Television New Zealand today. There has to be hope and I believe that there should be hope.
Key said President Barack Obama, U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron and many other leaders had been in touch with him to pass on their support. Key will visit Greymouth today to meet rescue workers and families, he said.
Questions, Inquiry
Greymouth Mayor Tony Kokshoorn expects there will be an inquiry, at the appropriate time.
We know there are going to be some questions, you can feel it just rising up, he told Television New Zealand. Theres a lot of questions, a lot of allegations starting. Were talking about 29 miners here that supposedly should have been safe.
Gregg, 43, of the Ikamatua Hotel, shares the frustrations of many who say not enough has been done to extract the 16 Pike River employees and 13 contractors ranging in age from 17 to 62. Knowles says he isnt prepared to risk the lives of rescue workers and the trapped men until hes sure its safe.
Coal Trains
If it was my boy, Id grab a helicopter or something and go straight in, said Gregg.
Ikamatua locals were pretty cut up, said Gregg, who worked at the mine workshop before taking over the hotel two years ago.
While not many Ikamatua residents work at the mine, the companys loading facility is on the towns edge where a black stack of coal is visible. Trains carrying coal regularly roll along the track running parallel to the main road that splits the town. A local engineering business relies heavily on mine work, Gregg said.
Pike River began construction of the mine in September 2006, building its own road to the site. The police checkpoint sits at the start of that road, alongside green pastures servicing another of the regions important industries, dairying.
The coal seam was reached in October 2008. Pike River exported its first coal in February, a year late after problems with equipment and a rock fall in a ventilation shaft in February 2009. The company went to investors for an extra NZ$41 million ($31.9 million) in March last year and NZ$50 million in April this year.
Coking Coal
Pike River is part-owned by Indias Gujarat NRE Coke Ltd. and Saurashtra Fuels Pvt., which also take some low-ash, low- phosphorus coking coal. New Zealand Oil & Gas Ltd. is the biggest investor with a 30 percent stake and an option to take coal negotiated as part of a refinancing deal in April.
The mine was forecast to produce 320,000 to 360,000 metric tons of coal in the year through June, the company said Oct. 19. That almost halved an April forecast.
Pike River shares slumped 14 percent to 61 Australian cents in Sydney Nov. 19 before trading was halted. The company fell 4.4 percent to 88 New Zealand cents by the Wellington close.
Chief Executive Officer Peter Whittall wont comment on the mines future. The company doesnt know the cause of the explosion or the extent of any damage, he told reporters yesterday as he defended the safety procedures under the ground.
I take safety very seriously, he said. The systems and management are absolutely dedicated to safety at this mine.
Gas Mixture
Whittall yesterday said there were signs of combustion that were generating a mix of gases making it unsafe to begin a rescue. The company began drilling a six-inch (15 centimeter) shaft as long as 150 meters from the surface into one of the mine tunnels to gather air samples. Helicopters lowered sampling equipment for a second day into a ventilation shaft, he said.
Rescuers are monitoring levels of gases including methane, carbon dioxide and ethane, Superintendent Knowles told reporters yesterday. A 16-member team is waiting to enter the mine.
Safety is paramount, he said. Were dealing with peoples lives here, and my operation is around safety and rescue, bringing these guys out alive if we can.
Families are distraught, Knowles said. They understand the things were facing. They understand the danger of sending people underground and causing a reaction we dont want.
Representatives from each family were bused to the mine site yesterday. Red Cross and other social services are supporting relatives of the trapped miners, while the wider Greymouth community is waiting for news.
We are seeing a considerable amount of pain, and deep concern, said Reverend Kingston, whose parishioners include rescue crew members, support workers and friends of the miners families. The community is looking to the church for its spiritual strength. Everyone understands tragedy. They all know the risks.
