Government misleads on Pike River mine sealing

Stand With Pike media release - 17 November 2016

The government's 'temporary' seal on the Pike River Mine, stopped by an occupation by family members last week, will be a twenty metre thick solid concrete wall.

Sonya Rockhouse, whose son Ben died in the mine, says the details, leaked to family members, show once again they have been lied to. "I said to the Minister last night, 'you and me both know once that seal is in that’s it.' This new leak proves I was right.

“We’ve been told a stainless steel wall was built 50m into the drift and then sprayed with concrete last Thursday.

“The next stage is to fill the mine-shaft completely from floor to ceiling with concrete, to a depth of at least 20 metres, then another wall over a metre thick to hold it. This is more than 100 concrete trucks’ worth of concrete. It will be permanent.

“Rather than send Ministers to threaten us with arrest, John Key should be calling a halt to the sealing process and talking to us about reentry.

“Both international experts and a local mines rescue expert have told us it’s possible to get in there and secure remains and evidence.

“Promises were made by the Prime Minister and they haven’t been kept. Anyone who loses family like this deserves justice and closure.”

ENDS

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