PM pays respects to victims
WELLINGTON: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern led tributes to the 29 men killed in New Zealand’s worst modern day workplace accident, the Pike River mine explosion, a decade on.
In a pointedly political service in Wellington yesterday, Ms Ardern addressed her comments to the families, calling their loss ‘‘gutwrenching, unimaginable and devastating’’.
‘‘What happened at Pike River should not have happened. In the drive towards coal production . . . there was insufficient action to health and safety,’’ she said.
‘‘New Zealand stands with you and the Pike 29.’’
The service played footage and audio of the miners’ communications during the blast, prompting families to cry and comfort each other.
A long battle by the victims’ families, including a 2016 blockade of the site, led Ms Ardern’s government to create a team to reenter the mine drift two years ago.
As of this week, it has travelled all but 100m into the 2.2km mine.
The reentry team will complete its restorative and explorative mission early next year.