OMEN
05-02-2006, 09:00 AM
TWO miners trapped almost 1km underground in a Tasmanian mine can move about 1m outside the steel cage in which they are trapped but cannot stand up, a union chief said today.
The miners may remain stuck in the Beaconsfield Gold Mine until Friday, with final drilling not due to start until tomorrow, rescuers said today.
The drilling is expected to take about 48 hours.
Todd Russell, 34, and Brant Webb, 37, can move outside the cherry picker cage in which they were trapped a week ago though a small door into a cavity created by the rockfall that imprisoned them, Australian Workers Union national secretary Bill Shorten said today.
"They can open one of the doors of the cage, they've got a little bit of movement, perhaps about a metre or so," Mr Shorten said.
"So there is little bit of room to move but they are not out there doing calisthenics."The 1.2m height of the cage means the men cannot stand.
They are in good physical and mental health, Mr Shorten said, with temperatures in their section of the mine at 30C when blasting or other rescue operations are not taking place.
They are receiving food, fresh water, clothing, lighting and vitamins through a 90mm pipe put through the 12m of rock separating them from their freedom.
Bedding and a tarpaulin have also been sent to them through the pipe and there are no problems with air quality.
Rescue teams say once drilling starts, it will take about 48 hours to reach the men, who are tonight facing their eighth night trapped underground.
Mr Shorten said messages were being exchanged between the men and their families via their rescuers, but he would not reveal what those messages were.
He said the trapped miners may experience some vibration as the rescue equipment works towards them, but that would be closely monitored.
"A lot of Australians can feel the pain of what's happening. They can actually imagine being trapped, unable to move, a rockfall," he said.
"So what's happening is the rescuers are very mindful of this issue and they are going to move as slowly as it takes.
"To me, a few hours expended to get it right is a more sensible outcome than rushing."
This afternoon, new drilling equipment was being set up, as Mr Russell and Mr Webb guided rescuers to the correct position and direction for the cutting machine known as a raise borer.
The machine also needed to be anchored before it could begin chewing its way through 12m of solid rock.
"The raise borer which we had brought in from the west coast of Tasmania yesterday is now in place and we expect drilling tomorrow," mine manager Matthew Gill said.
"We are going as fast as we can, but safety is paramount."
Earlier, Mr Shorten said mine management told him this afternoon that the start of the estimated 48 hours needed to rescue the men was some way off.
"Firstly, the 48 hours has not begun to run yet," Mr Shorten said.
"The blokes in there, they're able to communicate quite well and ... it would seem that Brant and Todd by virtue of being able to see, they have some light, they're almost helping rescue themselves by being able to see inside the confined space.
"Because they are able to communicate with the trapped miners, they may actually slightly change the direction of the tunnel to get it closer to where the men actually are."
Mr Shorten said the raise borer, also known as a drill bore – a machine with 1m-diameter cutting heads – would then need to be anchored in either concrete or steel.
A pilot hole must be drilled through the rock before the bore begins moving towards the trapped men.
Rescuers can take more time because the two men have food and water and are in good health, considering their plight, Mr Shorten said.
"(Drilling) will start when they get the right alignment and it will start when they've got the drill bore in place pointing the right way," Mr Shorten said.
When asked whether the miners were frustrated by the delay, Mr Shorten said: "I can't imagine anyone is happy being there.
"I think they understand that's what's being done is in their interests."
Mr Gill said the two men may not be freed until the end of the week. "I'm very reluctant to put predictions on how long it would take because of the complexities involved," he said.
Mr Gill said the men are maintaining good spirits and having "cheeky conversations" with the rescuers.
He said Mr Russell had resigned since being underground, and asked for the Saturday newspaper to look for a new job.
Mr Gill said rescuers were still trying to determine where to drill.
"The condition of the guys in terms of their health and wellbeing has bought us time to do it right without rushing," he said.
"These guys are actually giving us a lot of information to allow us to work out an appropriate plan."
NewsAU
The miners may remain stuck in the Beaconsfield Gold Mine until Friday, with final drilling not due to start until tomorrow, rescuers said today.
The drilling is expected to take about 48 hours.
Todd Russell, 34, and Brant Webb, 37, can move outside the cherry picker cage in which they were trapped a week ago though a small door into a cavity created by the rockfall that imprisoned them, Australian Workers Union national secretary Bill Shorten said today.
"They can open one of the doors of the cage, they've got a little bit of movement, perhaps about a metre or so," Mr Shorten said.
"So there is little bit of room to move but they are not out there doing calisthenics."The 1.2m height of the cage means the men cannot stand.
They are in good physical and mental health, Mr Shorten said, with temperatures in their section of the mine at 30C when blasting or other rescue operations are not taking place.
They are receiving food, fresh water, clothing, lighting and vitamins through a 90mm pipe put through the 12m of rock separating them from their freedom.
Bedding and a tarpaulin have also been sent to them through the pipe and there are no problems with air quality.
Rescue teams say once drilling starts, it will take about 48 hours to reach the men, who are tonight facing their eighth night trapped underground.
Mr Shorten said messages were being exchanged between the men and their families via their rescuers, but he would not reveal what those messages were.
He said the trapped miners may experience some vibration as the rescue equipment works towards them, but that would be closely monitored.
"A lot of Australians can feel the pain of what's happening. They can actually imagine being trapped, unable to move, a rockfall," he said.
"So what's happening is the rescuers are very mindful of this issue and they are going to move as slowly as it takes.
"To me, a few hours expended to get it right is a more sensible outcome than rushing."
This afternoon, new drilling equipment was being set up, as Mr Russell and Mr Webb guided rescuers to the correct position and direction for the cutting machine known as a raise borer.
The machine also needed to be anchored before it could begin chewing its way through 12m of solid rock.
"The raise borer which we had brought in from the west coast of Tasmania yesterday is now in place and we expect drilling tomorrow," mine manager Matthew Gill said.
"We are going as fast as we can, but safety is paramount."
Earlier, Mr Shorten said mine management told him this afternoon that the start of the estimated 48 hours needed to rescue the men was some way off.
"Firstly, the 48 hours has not begun to run yet," Mr Shorten said.
"The blokes in there, they're able to communicate quite well and ... it would seem that Brant and Todd by virtue of being able to see, they have some light, they're almost helping rescue themselves by being able to see inside the confined space.
"Because they are able to communicate with the trapped miners, they may actually slightly change the direction of the tunnel to get it closer to where the men actually are."
Mr Shorten said the raise borer, also known as a drill bore – a machine with 1m-diameter cutting heads – would then need to be anchored in either concrete or steel.
A pilot hole must be drilled through the rock before the bore begins moving towards the trapped men.
Rescuers can take more time because the two men have food and water and are in good health, considering their plight, Mr Shorten said.
"(Drilling) will start when they get the right alignment and it will start when they've got the drill bore in place pointing the right way," Mr Shorten said.
When asked whether the miners were frustrated by the delay, Mr Shorten said: "I can't imagine anyone is happy being there.
"I think they understand that's what's being done is in their interests."
Mr Gill said the two men may not be freed until the end of the week. "I'm very reluctant to put predictions on how long it would take because of the complexities involved," he said.
Mr Gill said the men are maintaining good spirits and having "cheeky conversations" with the rescuers.
He said Mr Russell had resigned since being underground, and asked for the Saturday newspaper to look for a new job.
Mr Gill said rescuers were still trying to determine where to drill.
"The condition of the guys in terms of their health and wellbeing has bought us time to do it right without rushing," he said.
"These guys are actually giving us a lot of information to allow us to work out an appropriate plan."
NewsAU