No cops for first Pike mission
Police staff will not accompany the first Pike River mine re-entry team due to safety concerns, but could U-turn if remains are found.
Police confirmed in a statement on Thursday the safest option was to wait for the drift to be ‘‘fully recovered’’ before sending staff in.
Twenty-nine men died in a series of explosions at the West Coast mine, north of Greymouth, on November 19, 2010.
Police would consider entering earlier if there was a ‘‘critical’’ find, such as human remains and evidence.
‘‘This means that, in certain circumstances, police will consider deploying staff into the drift before it is fully recovered and if it is safe,’’ the statement said.
In that case, they would first consult with independent experts about the stability of the mine and underground emergency management measures.
‘‘Police will only deploy staff into the drift if we consider it safe to do so.’’
Police still planned to complete a full forensic examination once the drift was fully recovered.
Assistant Commissioner (Response and Operations) Tusha Penny said the approach was best practice for any forensic scene examination. The scene examination was important, she said, but safety took precedence.
Miners employed by the Pike River Recovery Agency were the best people to enter the drift first, she said.
‘‘When there’s something, remains or evidence, even if they’re guessing, they will stop, come out, talk to our experts, our trained investigators we will have a full team at the top of that drift.’’
The three biggest risks were roof fall, fire and poisonous gasses, Penny said.
‘‘We have staff who I know will absolutely be disappointed with the decision but it is our job as senior leaders to ensure that we categorically put their safety as paramount.’’
Penny was confident could still ‘‘fulfil all objectives’’.
‘‘We are absolutely committed to ensuring we do everything we can to provide answers for the Pike River families,’’ she said.
The Government gave re-entry plans the all-clear in November. Minister Andrew Little said at police of its the time a number of dangers still remained, but extensive advice had shown re-entry to the drift using the existing access tunnel of the mine would be ‘‘by far the safest option’’.
Police decided in 2013 to leave the criminal investigation open until the scene could be examined. Any new evidence they found would be used to determine whether charges could be laid.
This week, miners were being trained by police for forensic work involved in the re-entry.
Penny said the training was ‘‘a comprehensive 101 in forensic requirements’’, including exhibit management, forensic imaging and disaster victim identification.
‘‘We had one of New Zealand’s leading pathologists down here taking part which is very significant in ensuring we have a good standard of training,’’ she said.
Pike River widow Anna Osborne was not surprised by the decision. She said the families now had trust in the police because they were working together, which had not happened after the disaster in 2010.
Massey University law professor Chris Gallavin said in January the forensic integrity of the site could potentially be compromised if crime scene experts were not first into the mine.
‘‘We’re in that invidious situation where the only people who have the expertise to go in are the people who don’t have expertise in criminal investigation,’’ he said.