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For many families of the 29 miners killed at the Pike River Mine, the pain and sadness remain raw ten years later.
More than 100 family members of the Pike 29 gathered on the west coast on Thursday to mark the 10th anniversary of the disaster, while another group attended the government memorial service in Parliament.
An explosion occurred inside the underground coal mine in Atarau, near Greymouth, at 3.44 pm on November 19, 2010. Thirty-one men were underground, but only two managed to escape.
BRADEN FASTIER / THINGS
More than 100 family members of the 29 men killed in the Pike River gathered on the West Coast Thursday to mark the 10th anniversary of the disaster.
Family members visited the mine portal to observe a minute’s silence and roll the men’s names, followed by a public memorial service at Blackball.
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Survivor Russell Smith attended the Blackball event with his family. A community choir sang and the relatives of the 29 men each placed a flower on a commemorative wheel with the 29 names inscribed.
BRADEN FASTIER / STUFF / Nelson Mail
Former Gray District Mayor Tony Kokshoorn, current Deputy Mayor Allan Gibson and Labor MP Damien O’Connor at the West Coast Public Memorial Service for the 10th Anniversary of the Pike River Mine Disaster.
Erika Ufer, Josh Ufer’s 9-year-old daughter who died in the disaster, spoke at the event. His mother, Rachelle Weaver, was three months pregnant when the tragedy occurred.
“I feel very sad that I lost my dad in the Pike River mine,” he said.
“I have been learning about Pike River since I was very young. Everything I’ve learned about my father has been from the people who loved him. “
BRADEN FASTIER / THINGS
Erika Ufer, 9, says she has many questions she would ask her dad if she could spend just one day with him. Josh Ufer died in the Pike River mine disaster, before Erika was born.
He wanted to ask her questions like what her favorite animal, food, and board game was, and if Erika had still called her.
He thanked the recovery team for drifting back into the mine (or access tunnel) to try to find out why his father died.
For Jo Hall, not being able to retrieve her son’s body from the mine was preventing her from closing down.
Braden Fastier / Stuff
Erika Ufer, 9, with her mother Rachelle Weaver attend a service commemorating the 29 lost miners in the Pike River, including Erika’s father, Josh.
Hall, whose son Judd died, said she was angry that families were still fighting to find out what caused the explosion and to hold those responsible to account.
“We haven’t been able to kiss our loved ones on the head and say goodbye, that’s what hurts me.”
Hall said the disaster had changed the lives of many people and that it was important for her to be with other Pike River families on the anniversary.
“We have a special bond.
BRADEN FASTIER / THINGS
The Monk family put flowers on the stone dedicated to Michael Monk, who died in the Pike River mine disaster.
“It’s not just the families that miss our men, it’s the co-workers who were on a different shift,” he said.
Carol Rose said she had mixed emotions 10 years after the death of her son Stu Mudge, but visiting the mine portal on Thursday was a moving moment.
“It is always exciting and intense up there. That is the only place that is as close to them as possible.
“When you roll call and say your man’s name through the portal, there’s a bit of you waiting for me to hear you.”
TVNZ
Bernie Monk, whose son Michael died at the Pike River Mine, believes closure will be found for the families of the 29 men who died in the 2010 disaster.
Bernie Monk, Pike River father and longtime spokesperson, said it was an emotional day for families.
He said that he would never stop fighting for truth and justice for the Pike 29s.
The Pike River Recovery Agency had reached the top of the drift, which was blocked by a rockslide.
“We are only 200 meters from where they are. Last year we hadn’t even entered the mine. There are pending issues that must be resolved, ”he said.
Braden Fastier / Stuff
Pike River mother Jo Hall says the disaster changed many people’s lives and that it is important for her to be with other families on the anniversary.
He was working on a private investigation to find out the cause of the explosion.
Anna Osborne, whose husband Milt died in the mine, told the government commemoration in Parliament that the tragedy occurred due to “greed and ignorance.”
I wanted the men’s legacy to not include more preventable deaths in the New Zealand workplace.
“Since Pike River there have been 700 New Zealanders killed in the workplace. That’s another Pike River disaster every five months since then.
“Our laws are simply not being enforced. This changes now. “
ROBERT KITCHEN / Things
Anna Osborne, Sonya Rockhouse, and Rowdy Durbridge read the names of the murdered miners. They attended the Pike River 10th Anniversary Memorial Service held in the Legislative Council Chamber in Parliament on Thursday.
The government of the day had stripped the mining inspection, he said. There were only two inspectors in the country, and they overlooked the “time bomb” that was Pike River.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the Pike River Recovery Agency was “very close” to fulfilling its commitment to families.
But that commitment must be made in all workplaces across the country, he said.
“You have carried too much, you have walked too much, you have pushed so hard and you have done it for 10 years … New Zealand wants you to rest and last but not least New Zealand is with you and with the Pike 29” .
Braden Fastier / Stuff
A man wears a West Coast Miners badge at the Pike River mine disaster 10th anniversary event, which took place at Blackball near Greymouth on Thursday.
