The 29 men trapped in a New Zealand mine are all believed to be dead following a second devastating explosion. The prime minister of New Zealand has announced that the whole country is in mourning following the death of the 29 workers.
The miners have been trapped since the explosion at the Pike River Coal mine last Friday night. The explosion is thought to have been caused by methane gas and resulted in the collapse of the mine located on a mountain on New Zealand’s south island.
A rescue attempt was put into action earlier today when robots and cameras were sent into the mine to search for any signs of the missing men. However, at 2.37pm today rescue attempts had to be halted when a second large explosion suddenly ripped through the mine.
Mine bosses have said that the blast, which occurred deep within the mountain, would not have been survivable.
"Today all New Zealanders grieve for these men. We are a nation in mourning," said prime minister, John Key said in an address to the nation in which he announced an inquiry would be held into the disaster.”
"New Zealand is a small country... where we are our brothers keepers. To lose so many brothers at once strikes an agonising blow."
The news has affected people across the pond with the Queen sending a message to Mr. Key saying:
“I am deeply saddened by today’s news that there is now no hope for the men trapped in the Pike River mine.”
The rescue mission has faced numerous set-backs, the main issue being the deadly toxic gas inside the mine and the fears for further explosions. All this has stopped the rescuers entering the mine despite desperate pleas by the miners’ relatives that rescue teams enter the mine to find their husbands and sons, including two Britons.
Following news of the second explosion, families have questioned whether more could have been done to save the lives of these 29 men.
One family in particular questioned the delay in entering the mine, Lawrie Drew; the father of 21-year-old Zen Drew, said rescue teams should have entered the mine in the hours following the first blast, when the dangerous methane and carbon monoxide gases would have been sucked out of the mine.
"There was a window of opportunity on Friday, why didn't they take it?" he said.
Lawrie Drew is just one of many angry and grieving families in the town of Grey District.
Tony Kokshoorn, the major of Grey District said "This is the west coast's darkest hour," he said.
Although the second explosion is thought to have been caused by a build up of poisonous gases within the mine, it is not known what triggered the blast, which took place just as rescuers were attempting to enter the mine.
Among the men believed to have perished in the mine are Britons Peter Rodger, 40, and Malcolm Campbell, 29, who was due to marry his fiancée Amanda Shields next month.
William Hague, the foreign secretary, issued a statement, saying that the British High Commissioner would travel to Greymouth on Thursday.
"It is with immense sadness that we have learned of the tragic loss of life at the Pike River Mine in New Zealand," he said.
"Our thoughts are with the families and friends of the 29 miners and all those whose lives have been marked by this tragedy.
"Many British citizens have made their home in New Zealand and the loss of Mr. Rodger, Mr. Campbell and their colleagues will have touched the hearts of many in the UK."
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