Pike River protesters take fight to court to stop mine's final sealing

Protesters plan to go to court to stop the Pike River mine, where 29 men died in 2010, from being sealed. Photo / RNZ

By RNZ

A representative of 22 of the Pike River families says the group plans to seek a court injunction to stop the mine being permanently sealed.

A group of more than two dozen of the victims' families and their supporters yesterday protested against the Government's intention to close the mine where 29 men died in a series of explosions in 2010.

Bernie Monk, whose son was killed in the disaster, said the families want the work halted, and for the mine to remain unsealed until the police have finished their investigation into the disaster.

"We are asking them not to seal the mine up until after the police have finished their investigation. I don't think that's a big ask.

"We're not standing in the way of the police. They're bringing everything out, getting ready to seal up. No, that's not gonna happen."

The protest has halted over the weekend, but Monk said the families would continue their protest on Monday.

The Government announced in March funding had run out and it would close up the mine.

The Pike River Recovery Agency reached the roof fall 2.260km up the drift access tunnel on February 16, 2021, marking the furthest point into the Pike River Mine. Photo / Supplied

But some of the families of the victims of the disaster say if the mine is sealed permanently, crucial evidence for the cause of the explosion will be destroyed.

Monk said he wants the workers on the job to think about what they are doing.

"Some of these people are on their second turn of actually sealing this mine up on our men and leaving them behind. What difference is it gonna make whether they finish or ... they're not going to get sacked?

"I want them to down tools and stand beside us and support us."

The head of the Pike River Recovery Agency said the safety of his staff was his top priority.

The agency's chief executive Dave Gawn said he respected the families' sentiment, and right to protest.

Bernie Monk lost a son at the Pike River explosion in 2010. Photo / File

"The key from my perspective is to ensure that our work force are safe. And that safety isn't just physical safety, but also safe in terms of their perception of how they may be treated if they are required to go through a protest line."

Gawn said anything that impeded the agency's work risked obstructing the police investigation into the disaster.

The Minister Responsible for Pike River Re-entry Andrew Little has also said anything that impeded the Recovery Agency's work could obstruct the police investigation.