New Zealand coal mine accident

[Mike369]

Another mine accident that is making international news. There are 27 miners still missing but it sounds to me like there isn't a very good chance that hey are still alive. In the Chilean mine it was a collapse but this one was an explosion possibly caused by a build up of methane gas. I think that an explosion would be harder to survive plus from the sounds of it it was a pretty good sized explosion.
Check it out New Zealand Coal Mine Accident

[John]

I read that last evening. Very sad.

[Mike369]

Just an update. I don't know if anybody is even following this but here it is. It has been 10 days since the initial explosion and there have been two more explosions. One was last wednesday and it is believed that that one was more violent than the first. Then there was another smaller explosion the other day. The 29 missing miners are presumed dead now and there is going to be a recovery effort for their bodies. There have been remote robots that have entered the mine as far as 1500m. At this point they found the loader that one of the men who emerged from the mine after the initial explosion was working. The robot could not pass this loader due to the damage from the wednesday explosion. The plan now is to seal the mine and use a jet engine to force out the oxygen to extinguish the fire. Then recover the missing miners. This is definetly a tragic situation and I hope for the best with this recovery effort.

[Joanne]

Just an update. I don't know if anybody is even following this but here it is. It has been 10 days since the initial explosion and there have been two more explosions. One was last wednesday and it is believed that that one was more violent than the first. Then there was another smaller explosion the other day. The 29 missing miners are presumed dead now and there is going to be a recovery effort for their bodies. There have been remote robots that have entered the mine as far as 1500m. At this point they found the loader that one of the men who emerged from the mine after the initial explosion was working. The robot could not pass this loader due to the damage from the wednesday explosion. The plan now is to seal the mine and use a jet engine to force out the oxygen to extinguish the fire. Then recover the missing miners. This is definetly a tragic situation and I hope for the best with this recovery effort.

It's ever so sad to hear. In a sense it reminds us what a miracle the Chile rescue really was.

Joanne