24 November 2010

New Zealand mine: 'No survivors' immediately after second blast

All 29 miners trapped in a very New Zealand coal pit given that Friday are believed to become lifeless immediately after a 2nd explosion. avkosh auto insurance quotes

Police Supt Gary Knowles mentioned there was no hope that everyone could have survived the "massive" underground blast in the Pike River mine on South Island.

Prime Minister John Crucial mentioned the loss of life was a nationwide tragedy.

There had been no get hold of with all the males - 24 New Zealanders, two Australians, two Britons plus a South African - because the primary explosion on Friday.

The Britons were Peter Rodger, 40, and Malcolm Campbell, 25, who were the two initially from Scotland.

"Many British citizens have created their dwelling in New Zealand along with the loss of Mr Rodger, Mr Campbell and their colleagues will have touched the hearts of many in the UK," mentioned UK Foreign Secretary William Hague.

Supt Knowles, who lead the rescue operation, mentioned there had been another explosion at 1437 (0137 GMT) on Wednesday within the mine.

"It is our perception that no-one has survived and everyone will have perished," he told reporters.

"I was in the mine myself when this really occurred along with the blast was horrific, just as serious as the primary blast and we're currently now transferring into recovery phase.

"This is among the most tragic things I have needed to do as a police officer."

Rescuers had been getting ready to go to the mine on Wednesday, but details advised the amounts of methane gas were also excessive.

Shortly afterwards, the 2nd explosion occurred. It was bigger and more powerful than Friday's blast, and lasted about 30 seconds, officials mentioned.

The chief executive of Pike River Coal, Peter Whittall, mentioned it could make just about every effort to retrieve the bodies with the males, aged between 17 and 62.

"We want our boys again and we would like to get them out," he told reporters.

Mr Whittall mentioned the families were ''absolutely devastated by the news".

''They had all held out hope that their son, their brother could be the lucky one,'' he mentioned, previously including with tears welling up in his eyes: "I'm unlikely to see my workmates once again."

Family members wept, shouted and fell for the flooring immediately after hearing the news, Grey District mayor Tony Kokshoorn mentioned.

"People shouted out in anger, they are sickened by the whole thing. Plenty of them felt misled," he added. "It's unbelievable. This can be the West Coast's darkest hour. It does not get worse than this."

Lawrie Drew, the father of 21-year-old miner Zen Drew, later told reporters: "I am even now hoping that any individual may be found that is even now alive."

The BBC's Phil Mercer in Greymouth says a church service was held on Wednesday night to recollect the lifeless and also to consolation individuals left behind, whose lives are already scarred permanently.

The prime minister mentioned he would travel for the place on Thursday to fulfill the miners' families and thank the rescue crews.

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