'No survivors' after second blast at New Zealand mine
Police in New Zealand say there is no hope of finding survivors after a second blast occurred in the mine in which 29 men were trapped last week. Wednesday's blast was said to have been "extremely severe" and caused by a build up of trapped natural gases.
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Relatives, who had been waiting for five days since the first explosion trapped the men, were distraught after hearing the news at a police briefing.
It’s the worst mining accident in nearly a century to occur in New Zealand, plunging the country into a day of national mourning.
Prime Minister John Key described the disaster as a "national tragedy" and said flags would fly at half-mast on government buildings.
"New Zealand is a small country, a country where we are all our brother's keeper," said Key. "So to lose this many brothers at once strikes an agonising blow."
Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee said efforts would be made to recover the bodies and announced a series of inquiries aimed at finding out the cause of the mine disaster and preventing any repeat.
This is the third high-profile mining disaster in recent weeks, following the successful rescue of trapped Chilean miners and China's deadly cave-in.
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