Final Chapter in Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy

By Joel ScanlonJan 16 2011

The final chapter in the c at Pike River Coal Mine came into play when the New Zealand Police Commissioner Howard Broad said it was too dangerous to attempt to find the bodies and he would not put additional lives at risk. He added that he had little confidence that the bodies would ever be recovered.

With this the New Zealand Police formally abandoned their efforts to recover the bodies of the miners who were trapped and likely killed in the two explosions which rocked the mine over two months ago. All 29 mine workers are presumed dead as mine experts say that they could not have survived the second blast.

The families and friends of the miners although disappointed have supported the decision of the commissioner Howard Broad. When he was speaking with the families of the victims he said that it was time to focus on the living and memorialise those men who had died.

The police have now handed over the responsibility of the mine to the receiver Price Waterhouse Coppers. The Pike River Coal Ltd company may never recover from the tragedy caused by the methane blast inside the mine.