Drift should be re-entered, not sealed forever

Media release - 17 November, 2016

New comment from the former head of Mine Safety show the Government’s plans to permanently seal the Pike River mine will cost the families of the dead miners their last chance to recover remains and evidence.

In an email to the Pike River families, the Government’s own former Chief Inspector of Mines has stated that re-entering the first section of the mine, the drift, “could be done quickly, safely and within the budget originally allocated.”

Sonya Rockhouse, whose son Ben died in the mine, says the email shows that re-entry is possible and that the permanent sealing must be stopped.

“They’re rushing to fill the drift up with concrete so they can walk away from us and from John Key’s broken promise to us to get our boys out.

“The Government needs to work with us to put a re-entry plan in place so that we can recover any remains that are down there and find any evidence of what caused this disaster.

“It makes me feel sick to think that we have a chance to get answers, but it’s being taken from us by a Government determined to put hundreds of tonnes of concrete between us and justice.

“There’s no reason to seal it off. Tony Forster sees no reason not to re-enter. How hard is it for John Key to just keep his promise and let us get our boys out?”

ENDS

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