<< SOCKED ~ MAIN ~ PEACENIKS AT WAR >>
MINERS FOUND
It’s being reported that two Tasmanian miners trapped since Tuesday are still alive:
Just after 7.30pm, the Beaconsfield Gold Mine company said Todd Russell, 35, and Brant Webb, 36, had been located and “indications are they are still alive”.
Let’s hope this doesn’t turn out to be another Anderson Cooper debacle. As at the Sago mine, relatives of the men trapped in Tasmania were first told of their apparent survival while in church:
United Church Community Minister Frances Seen said she was in church praying when Todd Russell’s mother came running in with the news.
UPDATE. Contact:
Rescuers have spoken to two miners trapped underground for five days at the Beaconsfield mine in Tasmania’s north ... West Tamar Mayor Barry Easther says the mine manager has confirmed the men are alive and have spoken with rescuers.
UPDATE II. A timeline of the mine collapse and subsequent rescue work. Which is a long way from over, and extremely dangerous itself; remember that the rescuers are digging through earth made unstable by a recent quake.
UPDATE III. Contrary to earlier reports, which forecast a likely recovery of the men tomorrow, Ten News has just claimed the miners might be returned to the surface “anytime soon”.
UPDATE IV. Readers who know mining weigh in.
UPDATE V. Twelve metres (about 36 feet) of rock remains between rescuers and miners, according to AWU rep Paul Howe.
UPDATE VI. A survival story told from 3,000 feet underground.
UPDATE VII. Blog reaction here, here, and here.
Those men and their families are in our prayers especially tonight.
—Nora
Posted by The Thin Man Returns on 2006 04 30 at 07:31 AM • permalinkAccording to AAP, there has been conversations withthe miners. They appear to be trapped behind a cherry picker cage. The cage apparently held in the rock fall.
—Nora
Posted by The Thin Man Returns on 2006 04 30 at 07:45 AM • permalinkApparently they were in the cage, and are uninjured; they have been talking with rescuers.
They’re not out of the mine yet, as there is a slab over the cage, which means that it will take a bit more time.
I have been a bit pissed about journos interrupting family members when interviewing, and the journos also wanting to know if rescuers can get a mike down the shaft to hear the miners talking. (That was to the police chief - ch9 news, at 9.44pm. It was a girl off camera with that idiotic request. If she reads this, or her boss does, she needs a kick in the pants for that stupidity.)
FFS, let’s get the blokes out first before making a media feast of them!
Posted by Nilknarf Arbed on 2006 04 30 at 07:46 AM • permalinkAnd good old Mike Munro is now asking if we’ll get to see them when they are brought up or will the ambos get there first.
Mike thinks it would be wonderful if they could just walk out of the mine. After all, if they are unhurt, then it would be great.
Yeah, Mike, sure thing. The guys have been on a no-liquid - no-solid diet for the last 5 days. I’m sure they’d be happy to supply you with a Walkley moment and stagger into the lights.
Bugger that. Back the ambulance up to the entrance and keep the cameras out. Grrrr/
Posted by Nilknarf Arbed on 2006 04 30 at 07:49 AM • permalinkI give it a couple of days, Nic.
I notice that those interviewed, wife, son and parents of Todd Russell have thanked God and also the community for the prayers. I’m waiting for the moonbats to start barking at that one.
Posted by Nilknarf Arbed on 2006 04 30 at 08:09 AM • permalinkSorry to be a grinch, but if you heard what the resuers actually said in the initial official statement it was a long, long, long way from what the media was breathlessly reporting (and the relatives saying) at that time. (ie “there are indications that they are alive” was all the statement said about survivors). Knowing a fair bit about mining, and the mine, I was pretty pissed off at that. It may have turned out ugly (and still may).
But hopefully it will turn out OK and since then it seems that the more optimistic scenarios are being borne out. But a lot can still go wrong (eg further rock falls).
The vehicle that they were using when the rocks fell was a drivable drill platform that the miners stand on to drill holes in the wall in front of them. There is a re-inforced mesh roof above them, just to shield the operators from rock falls, even though the roof itself is bolted and wire meshed after every firing before anyone goes back in.
Unfortunately in a BIG rockfall (such as caused by the earthquake in this mine), it is pure luck if you are under a 20 tonne lump that will squash the entire vehicle flat, or if it drops just beside you and you “just” get ones that may break bones. Or you might be missed entirely.
I know a guy who was working underground and part of the roof fell in. A lump the size of a big pick-up dropped next to him and grazed his arm. He had a smoke and changed his underpants.
Posted by Stop Continental Drift! on 2006 04 30 at 08:32 AM • permalinkThanks, SCD. You are right about the statements the company put out. I hadn’t bothered commenting prior to this until there was a bit more info.
Then, of course, it ended up all over the teev and interrupted my evening of dysfunctional forensic detectives. (It’s nearly pumpkin time for me).
I’m seriously glad for them and their families, though.
Posted by Nilknarf Arbed on 2006 04 30 at 08:46 AM • permalinkAbsent from the broadcasts tonight has been one Bill Shorten, National Union boss who jetted in to jump in front of the cameras immediately after the disaster.
Shorten has absolutely no role there - obviously not assisting in any rescue and the local mine workers said that they weren’t interested in any discussions about the mine condition until the rescue was completed. If there HAD to be some Union activity, then the local and State leadership presumably could have dealt with it.
But no, Shorten had to fly in, like a blowfly to carrion and perform in front of the cameras.
His absence tonight may indicate that he’s flown back home, thinking the story would be off the headines for a few days. I think the first flight into Launceston gets in mid morning. I’m sure he’ll pop up then to begin the Crucifiction of the mine operators.
Posted by Stop Continental Drift! on 2006 04 30 at 08:50 AM • permalinkAm currently at work in a nickel mine in Kambalda. Just let the blokes down the hole know they are alive, its times like this I love the internet!
Posted by thefrollickingmole on 2006 04 30 at 08:51 AM • permalink#15 Yes I was happy that Bill Shorten was able to rescue the miners in time, it’s nice to know that not only is he skilled at ruining careers of his fellow ALP members but he is also capable of claiming success for the rescue even though it was the company saving their own employees. If Iraq ever becomes a successful democracy he’ll probably claim success for that to, I don’t blame him he as a campaign for PM to run.
I spoke too soon. Who do you think the ABC News web site is quoting…although from the comments, Shorten obviously isn’t on site. I wonder why the ABC doesn’t quote some-body who is actually in Tasmania?
Australian Workers Union national president Bill Shorten has told Sky News he is cautiously optimistic about the news.
“All of the union blokes are telling me the news is all positive, not negative,” he said.
He says he does not know how long it will take to save the miners.
But he says he does not know if the men are aware of the rescue effort.
This latter comment shows how clueless Shorten really is about the situation. When you fire rock underground, the sound (and vibration) transmits a very long way through the rock as a crack-thump. The trapped miners would have been only 10-20 from the firing, so either they knew (felt) what was happening OR they may have assumed that the mine had started operating again and had just decided to leave them there!
Again, sorry to grumble at what I hope will be a happy time, but I just know what’s going to happen next.
Posted by Stop Continental Drift! on 2006 04 30 at 09:24 AM • permalinkI’m sorry, I have to vent.
Fucking journalists. I’ve got the teev on in the background, and I want to go to bed, but watching the vultures stooping is nauseating. And mesmerising.
Mike Munro talking about it being a minor miracle that the miners are found alive and unscathed. Excuse me? MINOR MIRACLE????
Interviewing children about how they feel about their dad being alive, what will they do when they see him, were they scared? Like DUH!
Who needs a therapist? Just call channel Nein News and get yourself interviewed for free.
(note: they are now replaying interviews from earlier tonight. Looks like everyone is heading for bed and it’s time for a retrospective.)
/rant.
TIme for bed here, too.
Posted by Nilknarf Arbed on 2006 04 30 at 09:28 AM • permalinkSCD, the local union blokes have been working here, and one of them got to take Shorten’s place (I think his name is Howe or something). He’s been okay.
I’ve got nein on here.
Condolences to the family of Larry Knight, who died in this disaster.
Posted by Nilknarf Arbed on 2006 04 30 at 09:33 AM • permalinkHa. 11.30pm and Shorten has just turned up on site. Now being interviewed as an expert by the cretin Mike Munro. How did they survive? How long till they get out?
As if the just-arrived Shorten would know.
Shorten tells us that hundreds of tonnes of rock fell on them. Possibly; more like hundreds of tonnes of rock fell, some of which fell on their vehicle. Shorten then said “it was like a 747 fell on them”.
Pardon?
Mike Munro interviewing a just arrived Bill Shorten. A moron interviewing the ignorant about the unknowable.
Another fine journalistic moment.
And if any-one is wondering what the company isn’t fronting the cameras - its a small company and the mine management are personally part of the Mine Rescue Team. They also appear to know that the less they say to the media, the less will be distorted.
Posted by Stop Continental Drift! on 2006 04 30 at 09:39 AM • permalinkAs usual the MSM is all over the place like a one-legged Cossack dancer. Sky reported as fact that the blokes would be rescued tonight but then interviewed a radio journalist who reported there is no hope of reaching them for at least another 24 hours.
ABC said there is hope of reaching them by morning but now has shut up about it. Meanwhile Munro is asking four year olds how they feel.Also conflicting reports on where the miners are. Some say in the cage but others are reporting in the canopy of heavy machinery sheltered by a large rock from the rest of the fall.
Enough. I’m going to bed too. I’ll check back during the night.
But SCD, if I had just heard it on radio from some non-descript, I wouldn’t have believed it. The veracity for this sort of reporting lies not with the story, but in who’s reporting it. ergo Mike “Clipboard” Munro flown in at great cost.
I saw Shorten earlier in the day, and it looks like he has returned, with his number four shovel no doubt.
Anyway, I hope it turns out well for the two men found, but still as yet unrescued.
Posted by Whale Spinor on 2006 04 30 at 10:06 AM • permalinko/t The family of the late Juso Sinanovic from Bosnia,(whose body was accidentallly flown to Australia in place of an Australian soldier’s) -have said that they “share the family’s pain”.
What a wonderful gesture on their behalf -they are a Muslim family and therefore will have problems with the delay of burial,the shocking mix up and all the publicity.
However they can still find it in themselves to extend sympathy to another bereaved family.This just in… ABC commentators condemn John Howard for causing earthquakes…
Posted by richard mcenroe on 2006 04 30 at 11:44 AM • permalinkMelanie, there are 26 non-US military forces participating in the “unilateral US” action in Iraq as of June 2005, including Bosnia.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/iraq_orbat_coalition.htm
#12 - SCD: I know a guy who was working underground and part of the roof fell in. A lump the size of a big pick-up dropped next to him and grazed his arm. He had a smoke and changed his underpants.
And then, most likely, went right back to work.
There is something just unbelievably hard and resiliant about those that work in such industries.
#27 Wake up and smell the coffee, richard - didn’t you know Howard caused the earthquakes to get AWB, children overboard etc etc off the front page?
Posted by Margos Maid on 2006 04 30 at 05:39 PM • permalinkWith the miner’s found alive and the Saints-Freo siren anomaly, old Tassie has made the front and back of a lot of papers today.
When was the last time this happened?
Posted by The (WHMECDM) President on 2006 04 30 at 08:28 PM • permalinkLast night we had a 10 t rockfall at one of the newer crosscuts 800 m down. No-one was nearby but it demonstrates the fickle nature of the mining game.We have 20 or so Km of tunnels and this covered an area of about 10m2. I wouldnt mind betting tha odds of someone being flattened are about the same as the 3 poor blokes in Tassie.
Mining is dangerous.
I hope they get the remaining 2 blokes out ok, plenty can still go wrong.Posted by thefrollickingmole on 2006 04 30 at 08:37 PM • permalinkI was delighted with the news that two miners were alive, but still cautious. By the end of the evening I was annoyed with the MSM regurgitating interviews every 10 minutes. No wonder immediate relatives kept a very low profile until after the good news - however there were still the same fools asking stupid questions. And talk about the community and how everyone knew everyone - d’oh, it’s a town of about 800 isn’t it? The mine is the main employer?
Good luck to these men and their families - you wouldn’t get me in a mine (a cave* maybe, but not a mine!)
* speleologist in Aus
spelunker in US
potholer in UK
Page 1 of 1 pages
Members:
Login | Register
| Member List
Great news.