Pike River

[Orthelia]

More than a decade after the Pike River mine explosion that killed 29 men, remains of some of the men have been found deep within the mine.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Closure for some of the families will be a real relief.

[Orthelia]

Closure for some of the families will be a real relief.

Its all those families have ever wanted   


Best Christmas present for them in an unusual form

[crafters_corner]

It will be hard for those families, who's loved ones remains haven't been found.

Great news for the families of those found.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/1...ster-found

[pamow69]

It hasn't changed anything. All that is reported is they can see 3 bodies but can't get them out. So the families know the bodies are there, but they knew that anyway. So what has been achieved. Nothing. Time the whole saga was put to rest.

[king1]

that's good news someone will get some comfort out of it. I didn't realise they were still working on it.

[gr8dadof2]

What if it's discovered that a number of men were alive in the days after the explosion and they were trying to get out, but eventually they all suffocated.

That would be sad.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Oh I think there will be a way to sample the remains to get dna confirmation of identity. If they can get a camera in there they can get a probe. It has to be as challenging as a bit of robot surgery but we do that on a daily basis now, so I'm sure they'll work something out.

And yes the families know they died in that hole. But details are important when you lose beloved people in sudden catastrophic ways. The less you have to imagine, the better.

[Lilith7]

You have to feel for the families; this will be a bittersweet xmas for them. Though it is progress, of a sort.

[joe 90]

I If familys want them out then let them pay fora 500mm hole taxpayers have had enough $60 mill wasted . let them rest in peace

[king1]

I If  familys want them out then let them  pay  fora    500mm  hole  taxpayers have had enough  $60 mill wasted  .  let them rest in peace

just a tad insensitive don't you think?

[Lilith7]

I If  familys want them out then let them  pay  fora    500mm  hole  taxpayers have had enough  $60 mill wasted  .  let them rest in peace

 They've probably suffered enough without that surely.

[TygerTung]

Surely they are already buried? Can't we just let them rest there. I mean isn't it a bit like bring back home the dead from Passchendaele?

https://www.nzhistory.govt.nz/new-zealan...schendaele

---

I mean the body is just a husk after one dies. But I guess I feel like that because of my faith, that the body is of no use after one's death.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

It is the husk of someone we loved. Until you have been there it might be hard to understand. But seeing and touching is part of saying goodbye. Without it, grief is left hanging, unfinished, incomplete.

[Lilith7]

It is the husk of someone we loved. Until you have been there it might be hard to understand. But seeing and touching is part of saying goodbye. Without it, grief is left hanging, unfinished, incomplete.

Agreed; seeing someone's remains for the final time is a large part of process of coping with their death.

[joe 90]

It is the husk of someone we loved. Until you have been there it might be hard to understand. But seeing and touching is part of saying goodbye. Without it, grief is left hanging, unfinished, incomplete.

Agreed; seeing someone's remains for the final time is a large part of process of coping with their death.

  Govt   have pulled the plug there is no more political capital to be gained   as     vast  majoprity of NZ have  had enough  .So  want taxpayers to fork out another  $6m  ,the money  is better spent on the living like   upgrading or building promised new hospitals  .

[king1]

Agreed; seeing someone's remains for the final time is a large part of process of coping with their death.

  Govt   have pulled the plug there is no more political capital to be gained   as     vast  majoprity of NZ have  had enough  .So  want taxpayers to fork out another  $6m  ,the money  is better spent on the living like   upgrading or building promised new hospitals  .

$6m might get you the toilet block in a new hospital, that money is a drop in the ocean of government spending - it's a one off cost to drill a bigger hole and retrieve bodies, no reason not to imho.

New hospital $1.47 billion before budget blowouts
https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/heal...nt-project

[joe 90]

^m would provide 200 hip /knee jobs & the 50 000000 wasted on a 200m drive up the drift would have claered the whole of Nz hospitals waiting lists & provied tyhe recipients witn a better quality of life . The dead dont appeciated it . But thats p[olitics for you it was a vote catcher that has now turned sour so govt washes their hands of it . Remember Nationals last term they priovided for 60 extra j hip jobs in one year alone . Shows they have their priorities right

[Wainuiguy]

  Govt   have pulled the plug there is no more political capital to be gained   as     vast  majoprity of NZ have  had enough  .So  want taxpayers to fork out another  $6m  ,the money  is better spent on the living like   upgrading or building promised new hospitals  .

$6m might get you the toilet block in a new hospital, that money is a drop in the ocean of government spending - it's a one off cost to drill a bigger hole and retrieve bodies, no reason not to imho.

New hospital $1.47 billion before budget blowouts
https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/heal...nt-project

60 million would have built Buller hospital that was promised by Labour in 2017 but still has not materialized.  Or given another $2million to each of the families for them to use.

[king1]

^m  would provide  200  hip /knee  jobs    & the  50 000000  wasted on  a 200m  drive up the drift would have  claered the  whole of Nz hospitals waiting lists & provied  tyhe  recipients witn  a better quality of life  .  The dead    dont appeciated  it  . But thats p[olitics for  you  it was a vote catcher  that has now turned sour  so  govt  washes their hands of it  .  Remember Nationals last term they priovided for  60  extra  j hip  jobs  in one  year alone    .  Shows they have their priorities  right

But it isn't really an either or proposition - they could do both easily if they wanted, like I said 6 million is a drop in the bucket...  Assuming they don't spend the money on a bigger hole, there is absolutely no guarantee they would spend that money on hip operations anyway