ISSUE
Friday, August 15, 2025
Volume 16 . Issue 72
Wellington: New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key believes that all 29 miners, trapped inside a coalmine after Friday's explosion are alive.
"There is every chance the 29 men missing since Friday's coal mine explosion are still alive," Mr Key said.
There has been no contact with the men since the blast in the Pike River mine near Greymouth on the South Island.
Rescue workers are still unable to enter the mine due to lethal emission of toxic gases from the mine.
The officials monitoring the situation said they were preparing for all eventualities, including the "possible loss of life".
Meanwhile, drilling has started on a 15cm (six inch) wide ventilation shaft and rescuers were hoping to send a camera down once the hole was finished to see if the men are nearby.
Mr Key said the miners - who include 24 New Zealanders, two Australians, two Britons and a South African - may have found refuge in a ventilated spot and could still be rescued.
"The advice I have is that there is oxygen in the mine and there is every chance that those miners have managed to get to a pocket of that oxygen flow and therefore that they are alive," Mr Key said.
Police superintendent Gary Knowles, who is in charge of the rescue operation, said officials were planning for "all outcomes", including the "possible loss of life as a result of what's occurred underground".
The youngest, 17-year-old Joseph Dunbar, was reportedly on his first underground shift when the blast occurred, while the oldest is Keith Valli, aged 62.
A robot is being prepared, which will be sent into the mine later to check if there is a clear path for rescuers.
Each miner carried 30 minutes of oxygen, enough to reach oxygen stores in the mine that would allow them to survive for several days.
Fresh air is also being pumped into the mine through a shaft.
While the men would reportedly have been carrying flasks of water, there is no food underground.
Two workers who walked out of the mine have been been discharged from hospital after receiving treatment for moderate injuries.
One of them, coal cutter Russell Smith, said he had been late for work and so was not far into the mine when the explosion hit.
Wellington: New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key believes that all 29 miners, trapped inside a coalmine after Friday's explosion are alive. "There is every chance the 29 men missing since Friday's coal mine explosion are still alive," Mr Key said. There has been no contact with the men since...
Wellington: New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key believes that all 29 miners, trapped inside a coalmine after Friday's explosion are alive.
"There is every chance the 29 men missing since Friday's coal mine explosion are still alive," Mr Key said.
There has been no contact with the men since the blast in the Pike River mine near Greymouth on the South Island.
Rescue workers are still unable to enter the mine due to lethal emission of toxic gases from the mine.
The officials monitoring the situation said they were preparing for all eventualities, including the "possible loss of life".
Meanwhile, drilling has started on a 15cm (six inch) wide ventilation shaft and rescuers were hoping to send a camera down once the hole was finished to see if the men are nearby.
Mr Key said the miners - who include 24 New Zealanders, two Australians, two Britons and a South African - may have found refuge in a ventilated spot and could still be rescued.
"The advice I have is that there is oxygen in the mine and there is every chance that those miners have managed to get to a pocket of that oxygen flow and therefore that they are alive," Mr Key said.
Police superintendent Gary Knowles, who is in charge of the rescue operation, said officials were planning for "all outcomes", including the "possible loss of life as a result of what's occurred underground".
The youngest, 17-year-old Joseph Dunbar, was reportedly on his first underground shift when the blast occurred, while the oldest is Keith Valli, aged 62.
A robot is being prepared, which will be sent into the mine later to check if there is a clear path for rescuers.
Each miner carried 30 minutes of oxygen, enough to reach oxygen stores in the mine that would allow them to survive for several days.
Fresh air is also being pumped into the mine through a shaft.
While the men would reportedly have been carrying flasks of water, there is no food underground.
Two workers who walked out of the mine have been been discharged from hospital after receiving treatment for moderate injuries.
One of them, coal cutter Russell Smith, said he had been late for work and so was not far into the mine when the explosion hit.
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