Video and photographs of Pike River Coal Mine re-entry released
In the presence of families, experts from Te Kāhui Whakamana Rua Tekau mā Iwa-Pike River Recovery Agency completed breaching the 30m seal and successfully re-entered the Pike River mine drift.
- Country:
- New Zealand
More than eight years after 29 men went to work at the Pike River Coal Mine and never came home, the promise to re-enter the mine drift has been honoured.
In the presence of families, experts from Te Kāhui Whakamana Rua Tekau mā Iwa-Pike River Recovery Agency completed breaching the 30m seal and successfully re-entered the Pike River mine drift. Previously scheduled for 3 May, the milestone had been delayed following false oxygen reading from a failed sampling tube.
"New Zealand is not a country where 29 people can die at work without real accountability. That is not who we are. And that is why today we have fulfilled our promise. Today we have returned," Minister Responsible for Pike River Re-entry Andrew Little said.
"The tragedy that took these men's lives was the consequence of corporate and regulatory failure.
"Fulfilling the promise to do everything possible to safely re-enter is an act of justice for families who have waited for far too long.
"It is because of the families' tireless efforts that future mining tragedies might be prevented.
"There is still much to do. We must find out what happened at Pike River. However long that takes, the recovery project will be done professionally.
"Most importantly, it will be done safely. Safety is the families' and the Government's bottom line. This was demonstrated when we delayed re-entry earlier this month.
"Today's milestone belongs to the families and to the memory of their men. It also belongs to all New Zealanders, who know that going home to your loved ones is the least you should expect after a day's work," Andrew Little said.
Video and photographs of the re-entry have been released by the Stand With Pike Families Reference Group at www.tinyurl.com/190521pike
(With Inputs from New Zealand Government Press Release)
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