‘We are returning’ – Govt lays out plans
Police Commissioner Mike Bush is not ruling out the possibility of manslaughter charges over the Pike River mine explosion, which claimed the lives of 29 men.
His comments come after the Government gave the all-clear to re-enter Pike River mine.
Police are part of the re-entry operation and will conduct their own forensic investigation, alongside mining and recovery experts who hope to retrieve what remains of the men.
‘‘Our case is open, and everything will be based on evidence,’’ Bush said.
‘‘The purpose of us being involved here is, if it’s safe, to ensure that we take advantage of any opportunities to examine forensic evidence.’’
A number of dangers still remained but Pike River Minister Andrew Little said extensive advice had shown re-entry using the existing access tunnel of the mine would be ‘‘by far the safest option’’.
He was confident those dangers could be mitigated and re-entry would not be rushed.
Little announced his decision at Parliament, in front of three representatives of the families of the Pike 29. It was almost eight years to the day the mine exploded in a fireball of methane and other dangerous gases.
Many of those gases are still believed to be present in the mine, and at dangerous levels.
Little said it would be an ‘‘extraordinarily complex’’ undertaking but the process to make it safe had been robust.
The Pike River Family Reference Group represented the majority of the families of the men killed in the November 2010 disaster. The group has been involved in the re-entry plan by the Pike River Recovery Agency.
Little has had the plan for the past two weeks. The agency put forward three options for a manned re-entry and has a budget of $23 million, although it has said it will need more.
All options required additional funding, and Cabinet approved an additional $14m for the single entry option, this week.
Little said the Pike River Recovery Agency recommended the single entry approach, and Little also took independent advice from former Air NZ chief executive Rob Fyfe – a leader in a safety sensitive industry and with engineering experience of his own.
‘‘Safety has been our paramount concern throughout this planning process, and supported wholeheartedly by the Pike River families,’’ said Little.
The operation also had the support of the police.
‘‘With their support and advice the drift tunnel will be thoroughly examined through to the roof fall area,’’ Little said.
Work to prepare the mine was already under way. That included venting methane from the mine, pumping nitrogen into the mine, and filling the drift with fresh air.
Additional boreholes would have to be drilled, and that work would get under way immediately, said Little.
‘‘The advice I have received indicates that it is likely to be round February before the reentry proper gets under way, by breaching the 30-metre seal.’’
The announcement was met with elation from the representatives of the families of the men, who were present at the announcement. Bernie Monk, Sonya Rockhouse and Anna Osborne hugged each other and cried when Little said ‘‘we are returning’’.
Osborne said the decision was ‘‘eight years in the making’’ and it was a ‘‘truly amazing day’’.