Australia rushes to help NZ mine rescue

Australia has rushed to help rescue 29 miners, including two of our own, trapped in
a New Zealand coalmine, but dangerous conditions are hampering the effort.
The NSW government has sent eight rescue experts, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh
dispatched four personnel, and the federal government sent a technical expert from
Emergency Management Australia.
Another team of 12 mine rescue experts from Queensland was on standby, in case the
New Zealand government needed them.
After Friday's explosion, methane gas levels in the mine shaft are too high to allow
rescuers to enter.
Professor Bruce Hebblewhite, head of the Mining and Engineering School at the
University of New South Wales, supports the decision to wait and not endanger more
lives.
"That would be quite foolhardy, and in times gone by, that's led to accidents with
the rescue teams themselves," Prof Hebblewhite told NZPA.
"As the methane itself is the source of the explosion, what I don't know and doubt
anyone knows is what the source of ignition was to cause the gas to ignite."
No one has heard from the miners following the explosion on Friday afternoon.
They are 24 New Zealanders, two Australians, two Britons and a South African.
One of the Australians trapped is believed to be 27-year-old Queensland man Josh Ufer.
A Facebook entry for Josh Ufer states he works for Valley Longwall Drilling, and it
is understood he was on secondment to the New Zealand operation.
The second man has not been identified and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT)
has declined to confirm the name of either man, citing privacy legislation.
Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said Australia was making available all assistance
needed for the rescue.
"What mates do is, we help when things go wrong, and that's what Australia is doing,
and we'll be there to support our Kiwi friends in a very difficult hour," Mr Rudd
told reporters in Sydney on Saturday.
Speaking from Lisbon where she is attending a NATO summit, Prime Minister Julia
Gillard promised Australia's full support to help the mine rescue efforts.
"Our hearts certainly go out to the New Zealanders who would now be waiting very,
very anxiously for news of their loved ones and friends," she said.
She hoped there would be a repeat of the miraculous rescue of all 33 miners trapped
underground in Chile last month.
"The world has witnessed a mine disaster and miracle this year, when people came out
alive (in Chile), and so our very best wishes go to the New Zealanders as they deal
with this."



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