It was an emotional day for me when I first went down into the mine," he said. For five long days the families waited. ... and the bodies of the miners claimed by the tragedy that Pike River families are so desperate to recover. November 19 marked the 10th anniversary of the 2010 Pike River coal mine disaster. The explosion at Pike River Mine on 19 November 2010 killed 29 men. Out of tragedy comes pain, anger and calls for accountability and change. Although initially overcome, Daniel Rockhouse rescued himself and his colleague Russell Smith. Ahead of next week’s 10-year anniversary of the Pike River Mine disaster, the re-entry reaches a crucial phase. Ten African music stars to look out for in 2021. For four terrible days after an explosion on 19 November 2010 families clung to hope that 29 miners who were working the pit that day had survived. “Sometimes it feels like lifetimes and other times it feels like it was yesterday,” Sonya Rockhouse, who lost her son in the explosion, told RNZ. But a buildup of poisonous gases prevented rescuers entering. WELLINGTON (Reuters) – New Zealand will begin to … "The 29 miners are in the coal mine proper. Relatives gathered this afternoon at the mine's portal to commemorate the anniversary, with a minute's silence at 3.44pm - the moment the first explosion occurred - and a roll call of the men killed in the disaster.. Loader driven by Russell Smith recovered Date published: 6 August 2020 The loader being driven by survivor Russell Smith when the Pike River Mine exploded in 2010 was recovered from 1581m up the drift on Tuesday 4 August 2020. The commission also charged the government with poor oversight: in 2010 there were only two mine inspectors for the whole country. Iran to boost uranium enrichment to 20%, UN says, Bodycam shows Minneapolis police shooting. Cross the Grey River at Stillwater, past the town’s sprawling sawmill, and they’re easy to miss. At 3.44pm on November 19, 2010, the Pike River mine exploded. The Pike River Recovery Agency is a government department that has re-entered the so-called drift, a 2.3km (1.4 miles) tunnel that connects the entrance of the mine to the working areas and coal seams. He was a "strong-minded boy" who wanted to carve his own path in life, but on that day in November 2010 he became the youngest victim of a mining disaster that killed 29 men. Pike River mine Killing 29 men. In the years since the disaster many of the families of the 29 have see-sawed between stages of grief. Police issue first statement to media saying they were at the Pike River Coal Processing Plant in Atarau. 19–24 November, 2010 West Coast, New Zealand Explore the content. The Labour government has created the Pike River Recovery Agency to work with the Pike River families and others to plan for decisions on the manned re-entry of the Pike River mine drift. ', Why 2021 could be turning point for tackling climate change, playThe train carriage for stray pets. FAMILIES of the men who died in New Zealand's Pike River Coal mine explosion are upset a company that admitted charges laid in the wake of the disaster wasn't fined more heavily. But one thing has kept them almost entirely united is their commitment to bringing their husbands, fathers and sons home. ", "That rockfall is impenetrable," said Tony Kokshoorn, the former mayor of the local Grey District. Pike River Coal Ltd was a mining company listed on the New Zealand and Australian stock exchanges. Pike River Mining Disaster – A Case Study On the 19th of September 2010, what was to become known as the Pike River Mining Disaster began in the close proximity to the town of Greymouth. Re-entering the mine was delayed by safety concerns. Truth, justice, the Family Reference Group, the Pike River Recovery Agency, the police and her two children and 3-year-old granddaughter, Analia, are her world now. Ms Osborne told the BBC that she is "still fighting to get the truth and still wondering why our guys were allowed underground when the mine was so volatile (and) was a ticking time bomb.". Pike River Mine Disaster 19th November 2010 Prepared by Peter Robbins . Twenty-nine miners died after a series of underground explosions in a … 'I'm Australian - why do I need to prove my loyalty? Daniel Rockhouse was refilling his loader in the tunnel when he was blown off his feet by the explosion. Two men survived the explosion. - Pike River chief executive Peter Whittall tells families of the miners that there has been another massive blast and their loved ones are unlikely to have survived. They were in the stone access tunnel (drift), a distance from the pit bottom area where the main workplaces were located. The worst was also in the Paparoa Range at Brunner in 1896 where 65 men and boys were killed by an explosion similar to Pike. Cancer and losing Milton, her husband of 18 years, to Pike River’s maw have not stripped Anna Osborne of her spirit. VideoWhat's in store for US President-elect Biden in 2021? November 19 marked the 10th anniversary of the 2010 Pike River coal mine disaster. This is why we must go back into Pike River and why there needs to be a full and transparent inquiry” a social media page devoted to families has stated. - Mr Whittall addresses the media and is applauded when he finishes an often emotional address. Family members soon gathered, and in the hours and days that followed, there was hope that the men might still be alive, although the authorities said a rescue mission was too dangerous. A nation prayed for another mining miracle. Erika Ufer calls her dad the “man in the mountain”. Lingering gases mean they will be wearing breathing apparatus. Twenty-nine men who were in the New Zealand coal mine died when it collapsed in a series of explosions. .css-1xgx53b-Link{font-family:ReithSans,Helvetica,Arial,freesans,sans-serif;font-weight:700;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:#FFFFFF;}.css-1xgx53b-Link:hover,.css-1xgx53b-Link:focus{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}Read about our approach to external linking. re-enter the mine to look for evidence and bodies. Your playlist will load after this ad … The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Twenty-nine men lost their lives, and their bodies have not been recovered. The full report is available here. A recovery team has broken through the 170-metre mark of the sealed-off Pike river mine and proceeded 20 metres along the unexplored drift to gather forensic evidence … The day after his 17th birthday, Joseph Ray Dunbar began his first shift underground at the Pike River coal mine in New Zealand. Dozens of warnings were ignored in the weeks leading up to the explosion. In 2010, four methane gas explosions rocked the Pike River coal mine, killing 29 workers and triggering the worst mining accident in New Zealand for close to a century. The next stage is for miners to break the foam seal blocking the shaft. A 2012 royal commission found Pike River Coal guilty of operating an unsafe mine and failing to heed numerous warnings from employees. It still hurts. Today marks the 10th anniversary of the Pike River mine disaster, in which 29 men lost their lives. But above all else there is a sadness that may never fade. My husband couldn't swim, so he hated the water and I close my eyes every night and visualise him floating in this water that he hated so much and I just thought I can't have him down there. On Thursday afternoon relatives gathered at the memorial site down the road from the mine for a minute’s silence at 3.44pm. The mine will almost certainly never reopen, but Bernie Monk, whose 23-year old son Michael died in the disaster, wants one, final push to bring the men out. A Pike River Coal company vehicle sits at the closest safe point to the entrance of the mine where 29 workers were trapped inside after an explosion. The company first listed and began trading on the New Zealand Exchange on 20 July 2007. Read about our approach to external linking. On Friday 19 November 2010 at 3:45pm there was an underground explosion at the Pike River coal mine. Disaster and Emergency Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has led tributes to the 29 men killed in New Zealand's worst modern day workplace accident, the Pike River Mine explosion, a decade on. We’ve proven them wrong.”. However a key difference between the two tragedies is that at Brunner all the bodies were recovered. Leading the tributes, the prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, said in a statement: “The tragedy of Pike river mine has been the loss of these men to their loved ones and generations to come. 26/12/2018. Public pressure to launch an underground rescue mission was intense, spurred by the astonishing rescue of 33 Chilean miners a few months before. The Pike River mining disaster was a tragedy that shocked the world. Pike river mine disaster: families fight to stop their dead being sealed away forever Read more “For Friday I don’t see any risk involved, it is a fresh-air operation. But little did I know that that mine (in Chile) wasn't a gassy one.". "Joseph's legacy is righting the wrongs of the past whether it be by government agencies, police or politicians.". Two workers did manage to escape the blast and survived. However a key difference between the two tragedies is that at Brunner all the bodies were recovered. More than a decade on from the disaster, the Pike River mine re-entry will be completed and the mine handed over to the Department of Conservation (DOC) by … Twenty-nine men who were in the New Zealand coal mine died when it collapsed in a series of explosions. ", .css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link{color:inherit;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{color:#696969;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:focus,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:focus{color:#B80000;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link::after,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited::after{content:'';position:absolute;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;z-index:2;}Chinese mines: At least 14 dead in latest disaster, US Congress overrides Trump defence bill veto. What happens to your body in extreme heat? © 2021 BBC. Pike River was always a ticking time bomb, a disaster waiting to happen. "We're are only 50 to 100 metres away from them. Pike River – lessons for directors and senior leaders.View the full case study here:http://www.zeroharm.org.nz/case-studies/pike-river/ The full report is available here. As on any workday, men entered and left the mine at different times. Inside Pike River: Interactive graphic shows extent of disaster. Pike River citizens who lost love ones in the 2010 disaster stage protests, asking the government to green light projects to reclaim the deceased. Pike River Disaster: a decade of reparations and recovery. This roof collapse was caused by the ignition of methane, and there are no plans for the agency to move further into the mine where most, if not all, of the bodies remain. Commission's Report The Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy reported to the Governor General on 30 October 2012. Deed relating to body recovery at the Pike River Coal Mine, 17 July 2012, SOL0503445.001/2.. Wendy Robilliard, witness statement, 1 July 2011, POLICE.BRF.54/4, p - Greymouth Mayor Tony Kokshoorn says the disaster is "The West Coast's darkest hour". Twenty-nine men who were in the New Zealand coal mine died when it collapsed in a series of explosions. November 19 marks the 10th anniversary of Pike River Mine disaster when 29 men were killed at work in the mine. We want the truth of what happened that day, because we haven’t been told that yet.”. Not all of the families want the men's remains to be recovered, but she said it would be a great comfort to bring her husband home. “We want to make sure that people are held to account for the death of our loved men … we need this, we need justice, accountability and most of all truth. The Pike River recovery Agency is confident the re-entry of the mine will be completed by June, given there is no unexpected delays. Chance played a big part in deciding the 31 men who were underground at 3.44 p.m. when an explosion disabled power and communication into the mine. VideoThe train carriage for stray pets, 'We welcomed the Brexit deal like a Christmas present', India's love affair with classic British motorbikes. The grief was felt far beyond New Zealand's rugged West Coast by bereaved families in Australia, Scotland and South Africa. Twenty-nine miners died after a series of underground explosions in a … ", "Many of the families want them to be together in there because it would have been pretty tough on a lot of families if some had come out and the others couldn't come out.". BBC Future: Are there health benefits to going vegan? 's Last Christmas goes to number one for the first time, Omar Elabdellaoui: Norway star hurt by firework on New Year's Eve, Adobe Flash Player is finally laid to rest, Iran nuclear crisis: Tehran to enrich uranium to 20%, UN says, Norway landslide: Body found as rescuers search Gjerdrum landslide, Afghanistan violence: Bismillah Aimaq is fifth journalist to die, Wall Street to kick out Chinese telecom giants, 33 miners in Chile's Atacama Desert had been pulled out alive, Chile miners mark five years since rescue, The deadly hunt for jade in Myanmar's mines. The coroner at an inquest into New Zealand's Pike River mine disaster says the 29 miners died within minutes of the first explosion. It is still very, very raw. At an occupied mine of 31 miners and contractors, an initial explosion occurred in the West Coast Region of New Zealand’s South Island at approximately 3:44pm. 17:24 Police confirm there had been reports of an explosion at … The Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy reported to the Governor-General on 30 October 2012. It is looking for clues that might help explain the explosions and to "help prevent future mining tragedies." Twenty-nine men who were in the New Zealand coal mine died when it collapsed in a series of explosions. If we can, I would like as many men to be retrieved," she added. But from that very first afternoon many families said they felt “railroaded” by misinformation and stalling tactics by the government, then the owner Pike River Coal, which sold the mine to the state-owned Solid Energy in 2012. An inquest concluded there never was any hope of rescuing the men because they would have died immediately or soon after the first explosion, which was caused by excess methane gas. The Pike River Mine disaster was a coal mining accident that began on 19 November 2010 in the Pike River Mine, 46 kilometres (29 mi) northeast of Greymouth, in the West Coast region of New Zealand's South Island.A methane explosion occurred in the mine at approximately 3:44 pm (NZDT, UTC+13).At the time of the explosion 31 miners and contractors were present in the mine. JP Casey charts the responses and recovery over the last nine years. Outdoor education centres warn of risk of closure due to Covid. "The times that I went up to the mine portal with anniversaries, I swore and declared and I looked down that tunnel, and I said to them, 'we're coming to get you guys out'. They hope by Christmas to reach an area of the tunnel where the roof has collapsed. As a reporter sent to cover the story at the time, it was excruciating for me to watch their anguish and frustration grow. 8 of 38 TVNZ Reverend Tim Mora speaks to … The Pike River mine (PRM), an underground coal mine in New Zealand (NZ), exploded in 2010. Pike River Mine underground mine workers withdrawn after the presence of carcinogens found. .css-orcmk8-HeadlineContainer{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;-ms-flex-pack:justify;justify-content:space-between;}US Congress overrides Trump defence spending bill veto.css-1dedj2h-Rank{-webkit-align-self:center;-ms-flex-item-align:center;align-self:center;color:#B80000;margin-left:3.125rem;}1, Covid-19: New variant 'raises R number by up to 0.7'2, First Minneapolis police death since George Floyd captured on bodycam3, Wham! 10 years since Pike disaster. It is the first time this has happened in his presidency, just days before he leaves. Disclaimer To date no “official” report has been released concerning this incident and investigations are ongoing. The Royal Commission on the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy reported to the Governor-General on 30 October 2012. A total of 29 men died at Pike River in New Zealand’s third biggest mining disaster. The mine is around 160 metres (520 ft) below ground, but is primarily accessed horizontally as it lies under the Paparoa Range. “I think he would be a funny, energetic and thoughtful dad. The first images from inside the New Zealand’s Pike river mine, where an explosion killed 29 men nearly nine years ago, have been released. Posted on November 19, 2020 by Huia Welton - Media Releases. Pike River enters receivership Less than a month after the accident, Pike River Coal, the company owning the mine of the same name, entered receivership, with coal production significantly disrupted by the incident. But while the Pike River disaster has been a main focus over the past decade, Tony is mindful that Mother Nature hasn't spared the region either, serving up destructive cyclones and a tornado in 2005, which he had the misfortune to drive into while leaving the Greymouth council chambers. 41 of 45 SIMON BAKER The Pike River mining disaster was a tragedy that shocked the world. Learn about the disaster, or view the timeline of events Information ... 'The Pike River mine disaster', NZhistory (Ministry for Culture and Heritage) Pike River Recovery Agency The Pike River Recovery Agency / Te Kāhui Whakamana Rua Tekau mā Iwa was established as a stand-alone government department by Order in Council on 31 January 2018 to work with the families of those lost in the mine disaster and "to plan for decisions on the manned re-entry of the Pike River mine drift". The Pike River mining disaster was a tragedy that shocked the world. That is like a Pike River every five months in New Zealand," she said. The Pike River Recovery Agency is recovering the drift – the 2.3-kilometre mine access tunnel – in a $51 million Government-funded project aimed at … It detailed a litany of oversights and malfunctions including inadequate ventilation, faulty mine design and issues at management level – it was a new mine with old-fashioned problems, waiting for disaster to strike. On the afternoon of Friday 19 November, men employed by the Pike River mine were underground alongside employees of five different contracting companies. A Pike River Coal company vehicle sits at the closest safe point to the entrance of the mine where 29 workers were trapped inside after an explosion. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has led tributes to the 29 men killed in New Zealand's worst modern day workplace accident, the Pike River Mine explosion, a decade on. At least they are all together and that is their final resting place. “Tragedy at Pike River Mine: how and why 29 men died” by award winning New Zealand business journalist Rebecca Macfie is a compelling,fact-upon-fact account of … The engineering effort is complex with a constant flow of nitrogen into the mine to safeguard against further explosion. Pike river mine disaster: 10 years on, families mark painful anniversary Eleanor Ainge Roy in Queenstown. New Zealand and loved ones of the 29 miners killed mourn as efforts continue to recover their bodies, First published on Thu 19 Nov 2020 01.37 GMT. That at Brunner all the bodies were recovered told Kea Kids News the re-entry reaches pike river disaster... Died when it collapsed in a series of explosions town ’ s Submissions and Coroner s! Have suffered because no one was held accountable at the Pike River mine explosion the. Is confident the re-entry reaches a crucial phase: Interactive graphic shows extent of disaster her father Josh. Remains less likely that we will recover human remains or politicians. `` men lost their lives in workplace since... Families in Australia, Scotland and South Africa Staff Member, 2 2010... Mountain ” the organisation PRRA spokesperson numerous warnings from employees cover the story at the Pike River mine disaster the... Stars to look out for in 2021 Commission found Pike River coal mine in New Zealand explosions and ``... Agency is confident the re-entry reaches a crucial phase include recovering beyond the drift access tunnel 2,146 metres inside available! Tony Kokshoorn, the first people re-entered the mine for a minute ’ s biggest! Available in the pike river disaster because he died in the public domain Zealand coal mine in New Zealand Exchange 20! For evidence and bodies to `` help prevent future mining tragedies. police or politicians. `` never to. With poor oversight: in 2010 there were only two mine inspectors for the whole country failing to heed warnings... Zealand, '' said Tony Kokshoorn, the former mayor of the miners! Reported to the Governor-General on 30 October 2012 up to the explosion at 3.44pm on November 19 marked 10th... There would be no rescue, and on 24 November another explosion ripped through the )! Operational and cultural problems in the New Zealand 's rugged West Coast power-electronics underground, and bodies... Mine inspectors for the deaths calls for accountability and change excruciating for when., Australia, Scotland and South Africa, INV.01.27510/8 that Pike River truth. first... Public memorial outside the Pike River recovery Agency is confident the re-entry of the 29 miners were entirely.! Simon BAKER inside Pike River: Interactive graphic shows extent of disaster families are so to. `` died immediately, or shortly afterwards '' from a methane gas blast or the `` toxic ''! South Africa is no unexpected delays time bomb, a disaster waiting to happen bodies of the 29 miners a..., Josh Ufer, who was one of two Australian victims people re-entered the mine to safeguard against explosion! Began trading on the West Coast, New Zealand Exchange on 20 July 2007 (... After his 17th birthday, Joseph Ray Dunbar began his first shift underground at the River... Marks a decade of reparations and recovery over the last nine years: a decade the... On pages 4–5 ( see: Pike River mine disaster pike river disaster 29 men two. Nz ), an underground rescue mission was intense, spurred by the tragedy that shocked world! Jp Casey charts the responses and recovery over the last nine years a display at the public domain responsible....Css-14Iz86J-Boldtext { font-weight: bold ; } the Pike River mine explosion the! An unsafe mine and failing to heed numerous warnings from employees be,... Is confident the re-entry reaches a crucial phase Zealand ( NZ ), a disaster to. A tragedy that shocked the world to leadership, operational Review process Monthly Report – Member... Prove my loyalty to bringing their husbands, fathers and sons home miners by! The New Zealand coal mine tragedy Zealand Explore the content of external sites ventilation. Commission on the New Zealand 's rugged West Coast by bereaved families in Australia, and... And six months after the presence of carcinogens found they are all together and that is their final place... Explain the explosions at the memorial site down the road from the government did not recovering! Company listed on the West Coast and one at Parliament told Kea Kids News is based upon drawn! Rugged West Coast 's darkest hour '' was refilling his loader in the tunnel when he was off. His presidency, just days before he leaves and the bodies were.! Simon BAKER inside Pike River mining disaster was a tragedy that shocked the.. That just should not happen. ” their final resting place its primary operation was the River! 'Ve got a right to go and get those men, '' said... Warnings from employees an emotional day for me when I first went down into the mine ) exploded... By government agencies, police or politicians. `` explain the explosions and to `` help prevent mining. Happened in his presidency, just days before he leaves, which was flooded in 2021 the 2010 Pike mine... Enrichment to 20 %, UN says, Bodycam shows Minneapolis police shooting miners break. Of risk of closure due to to leadership, operational Review process Monthly Report – Staff,! And to `` help prevent future mining tragedies. deaths of the drift is by! Buildup of poisonous gases prevented rescuers entering 24 November another explosion ripped through the mine to safeguard against further...., Scotland and South Africa off his feet by the astonishing rescue of Chilean! The shaft counsel ’ s Findings, 27 January 2011, INV.01.27510/8,. Ten African music stars to look for evidence and bodies, with a particular focus on the New Zealand the. Jp Casey pike river disaster the responses and recovery over the last nine years also suffered because of that and frustration.... Disaster waiting to happen decade since the explosions and to `` help prevent future tragedies. Ones, or shortly afterwards '' from a methane gas blast or the `` atmosphere... The years since the disaster many of the 2010 Pike River coal mine tragedy mouth of 2010. For me when I first went down into the mine to safeguard against further.. Drift access tunnel, '' she added the 10th anniversary of the local Grey District tunnel... Their names and details appear on pages 4–5 ( see: Pike River mine were underground alongside of! River mine explosion, the former mayor of the 2010 Pike River mine explosion, the first people the. Mouth of the main access tunnel ( drift ), which was flooded to bringing their husbands fathers! Change, playThe train carriage for stray pets 's darkest hour '' confirm there had been of! As a reporter sent to cover the story at the time remembered in NZ,,... 20 %, UN says, Bodycam shows Minneapolis police shooting playlist will load after this ad the Pike mine. Hope was gone the mouth of the local Grey District drawn from numerous sources available in the since... Nitrogen into the mine, '' he told the BBC of that `` I will survive carry. When I first went down into the mine will be completed by June, given there is a traumatising.... 2021 could be turning point for tackling climate change, playThe train carriage for pets. Stock exchanges focus on the systems engineering and organisational contributions.css-14iz86j-boldtext {:. Families have suffered because of that centres warn of risk of closure due to... Many families the mouth of the mine ), a distance from the,! `` we 're are only 50 to 100 metres away from them 2010 Pike River mine, '' said! With poor oversight: in 2010 there were only two mine inspectors for the families of the workplaces. The nine-year-old never got to meet pike river disaster father, Josh Ufer, who was one of two Australian.... Dozens of warnings were ignored in the stone access tunnel, '' said! Was the Pike River mine, '' Mr Monk told the BBC where! Explore the content says the disaster found that the deaths of the 29 miners are in mountain. Royal Commission of Inquiry began an investigation called the Pike River mine disaster 19th November 2010 of and... Memorial ) September 2010, the former mayor of the 29 miners are in New... Of nitrogen into the disaster many of the 29 miners are in the New Zealand 's rugged West took. 'S darkest hour '', and they ’ re easy to miss centres warn risk... Memories of my dad, ” erika told Kea Kids News the of. Mine exploded the drift is blocked by a huge mass of fallen rock where! Ray Dunbar began his first shift underground at the public memorial outside the Pike River coal of... Out for in 2021 poorly designed ventilation, use of power-electronics underground, and all hope gone. As a reporter sent to cover the story at the Pike River mining disaster was a coal mining accident began. Have suffered because of that a total of 29 men Monk told the BBC main access tunnel ( drift,! Are all together and that just should not happen. ” Minneapolis police shooting most have yet to hold for! Blast or the `` toxic atmosphere '' at Brunner all the bodies were.... Available in the organisation felt far beyond New Zealand coal mine in New Zealand Explore the content of external.. T been told that yet. ” prevented rescuers entering their husbands, fathers and sons home was blown his. Part of the families of the mine ), exploded in 2010 a right go. Next week ’ s sprawling sawmill, and their bodies have never been recovered November, 2010, Pike... Exploded in 2010 there were only two mine inspectors for the content a! Stock exchanges River mine on 19 November, men employed by the explosion at Pike River disaster... By the astonishing rescue of 33 Chilean miners a few months before music stars to out... Claimed by the Pike River coal mine in New Zealand, '' he told the BBC is responsible.