Leaky sampling tube delayed Pike River mine re-entry

Monday, 6 May 2019

Minister for Pike River Re-entry Andrew Little announces a delay for safety reasons on May 2, 2019.

A leaking sampling tube has been confirmed as the cause for delaying re-entry into the Pike River mine drift, however it is not yet known what caused the leak.

Re-entry was temporarily suspended on May 2, when oxygen levels were detected in the mine during testing.

Pike River Recovery Agency chief operating officer Dinghy Pattinson confirmed on Monday the oxygen reading in borehole 51 was caused by a leaking sampling tube.

Pike River Recovery Agency chief operating officer Dinghy Pattinson hugs families representative Anna Osborne after the call was made to delay re-entry.

The gas monitoring tubes run from an office block, over the mountain, 4.5 kilometres through the bush and down the borehole.

**READ MORE:

Pike River Recovery Agency staff cutting concrete at the 30m seal ahead of the re-entry of the mine drift.

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Pattinson, a senior member of NZ Mines Rescue, was to be among the first into the drift on Friday.

Andrew Little announced the re-entry delay on Thursday.

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He said the agency was integrity testing all tubes in the mine following the discovery.

One of several unconfirmed possibilities being investigated by the Agency was a wild animal, such as a goat or possum, chewing through the tube.

A 3 per cent oxygen level was detected at bore hole 51, directly above the roof fall 2.3km up the tunnel. It was detected when the nitrogen levels being pumped into the mine were reduced so the re-entry team could breach the 30m seal. The re-entry could not continue until the agency had complete control over the atmospheric conditions in the mine.

It remained unclear when the re-entry into the mine drift would take place.

Pattinson earlier said he was not comfortable continuing with last Friday's re-entry until he found the source of the oxygen.

Twenty-nine men died in the West Coast mine during a series of explosion on November 19, 2010. It is hoped re-entry could provide clues as to what caused the explosion.

It was also confirmed earlier this year that police staff would not accompany the first re-entry team due to safety concerns, but that decision would be reversed if remains were found.

Police said the safest option was to wait for the drift to be 'fully recovered' before sending staff in.