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elated as Pike River Mine re-entered
A woman whose husband died in the Pike River Mine explosions hardly slept last night because she was so excited about this morning's re-entry into the Pike River Mine.
Anna Osborne Photo: Supplied / Pike River Recovery Agency
RNZ,
21 May, 2019
Anna Osborne, whose husband Milton was among the 29 men killed in the 2010 disaster, was among the families who campaigned for the re-entry.
A three-person team went into the mine and opened the doors to an air lock just inside and checked the condition of the entry tunnel.
They came back out to a big cheer from some of the families gathered at the entrance.
Ms Osborne said she had waited a long time for the re-entry to happen.
"It feels bloody amazing, finally, I've been wanting to see this for a very long time. We've had so many hiccups and roadblocks along the way," she said.
The Pike River Recovery Agency said today's re-entry went according to plan.
Dinghy Pattinson from the agency said everything went "extremely well".
It's the first step in a $36 million plan to explore the 2.3km-long entry tunnel in the search for remains and clues as what what caused the mine to explode, killing 29 men.
The agency's chief operating officer Dinghy Pattinson was one of those who entered.
Geotechnical engineer Chris Lee, Mine Deputy Kirk Neilson and Chief Operating Officer Dinghy Pattinson opening the doors to the mine. Photo: Supplied / Pike River Recovery Agency
This morning Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said today was significant and would hopefully answer some questions.
"This is only really the beginning. We still don't know how much information, how much evidence, and whether we will be able to make a recovery of those who lie beneath."
The plan to re-enter the access tunnel was called off earlier in the month after high levels of oxygen were detected, making entering potentially unsafe.
The problem was identified as a tube for monitoring equipment that had been leaking into the area, and has since been fixed.
This interview explains the criminality
This interview explains the criminality
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Manchester attack: Firefighters did not respond to bombing for two hours because of false alarm over 'active shooter'. Dr Jacob Cohen discusses the Pike River Mine explosion in New Zealand in 2010 where 29 men died – insurance job. Jacob's book: Murder at Pike River Mine, 2nd edition Jacob Cohen, Tony Gosling, Martin Summers
It's a difficult one this.
Ever since the dreadful explosion at Pike River, leaving 29 miners dead, the media has covered every aspect of the story, right from the early days when there was hope that some of the miners may have survived, through to the Royal Commission and then to this Government's decision to spend $36 million to send a team into the mine in the hope of bringing some closure to families.
Earlier this month the Prime Minister was on hand, talking to families, and so was the minister in charge of the effort, Andrew Little.
Winston Peters - who has unsuccessfully, repeatedly offered to be with the first team into the mine - was never going to be allowed to make the trek in. As it was no one went in during the first scheduled return - an unacceptable level of oxygen was detected and when mixed with methane it's lethal. It was disappointing to all those who'd gathered.
Today, they'll be hoping that - after eight and a-half years - the mine will finally be entered.
But the media won't be on hand to record the event.
If something goes wrong, we'll be last to know. There will be a camera there, under the guidance of the Pike River Recovery Agency, which will be very much in control.
Jacinda Ardern says that's appropriate because today's effort should be a more intimate affair for the families. They didn't want an open event. Ardern believes the public will understand they want to have their time when the official breach of the concrete is made.
It's difficult because this is a significant event of public interest, an event heavily funded by the taxpayer, so should the media be banned from recording what we've all waited almost nine years for?
We've all been kept fairly much in the dark on this until Ardern, the self-proclaimed champion of the most transparent Government in this country's history, confirmed today's re-entry and the private nature of it at her regular post Cabinet press conference.
In fairness to Ardern, apparently it wasn't the Government's decision, it was the families'.
It's difficult because the only wrong step made by the media in all of this time was when some Australian yobbo questioned the credentials of the cop handling the explosion's immediate aftermath.
So are the media, and more particularly the public, being short-changed?
As frustrating as it might be, the miners' families' wishes have to be respected and we can only hope that nothing goes wrong today.
https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/opinion/barry-soper-are-the-public-being-short-changed-by-pike-river-media-ban/
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