Police have reported this morning that it is highly unlikely that the miner at the centre of the Henty mine collapse in Tamsmania has survived and that a recovery operation could take some time.
Overnight the search utilised an additional drone with more sensitive three-dimensional laser technology as part of the operation to locate the missing Henty mine worker.
The amount of earth and rock and the situation that presents tells us that it is highly unlikely he could have survived.
This is very sad for all his family and loved ones and the West Coast community and our thoughts are with them.
We will continue to work with the mine on the recovery operation which is likely to take some time but it’s not possible to say how long.
Chief executive of mining services contractor PYBAR Brendan Rouse this morning said the drone was still on-site with specialist operators.
“There was still material falling [in the mine last night] so it may have gotten worse this morning,” he said.
“That’s why it’s not safe to put people anywhere near the hole at the moment.”
He said for that reason, exploration was being done remotely for now.
“That will form the basis of any other recovery plans going forward, the safety of our people,” he said.
“We’ll come up with a plan of how we’re going to do it, but it won’t involve putting people into the unsafe area.
“It’s quite a big mine, so the area is quite isolated.”
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