New Zealand mine: ‘No survivors’ after second blast
Baku, November 24 (AZERTAC). All 29 miners trapped in a coal mine in New Zealand are believed to be dead after a second explosion.
Police superintendent Gary Knowles said the ignition of gases in Pike River mine meant a rescue was very unlikely.
"It is our belief that no-one has survived and everyone will have perished," he told reporters.
There had been no contact with the men - 24 New Zealanders, two Australians, two Britons and a South African - since the first explosion on Friday.
The Britons were Peter Roger, 40, and Malcolm Campbell, 25, both originally from Scotland.
Supt Knowles said the second blast occurred at about 1437 local time (0137 GMT) on Wednesday. "It was extremely severe," he added. "I`ve had to break the news to the families and they`re extremely distraught."
The chief executive of the South Island mine, Peter Whittal, said his company would make every effort to retrieve the bodies of the men.
"We want our boys back and we want to get them out," he told reporters.
Family members wept, shouted and fell to the floor after hearing the news, Grey District mayor Tony Kokshoorn said.
"It`s unbelievable. This is the west coast`s darkest hour," Mr. Kokshoorn said. "It doesn`t get worse than this."
Prime Minister John Key called the disaster at Pike River "a national tragedy".
"New Zealand is a small country, a country where we are our brother`s keeper, so to lose this many brothers at once strikes an agonizing blow.
"Today all New Zealanders grieve for these men... We are a nation in mourning."
Mr. Key said an inquiry would investigate how and why the accident had happened.
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