Perhaps the one thing that came out of a press conference on three Hytech Drilling employees trapped in the Red Chris Mine in Northwest B.C. is that Newmont, the mine operator, is at least trying to keep the press in the loop about what is going on.
Bernard Wessels, Newmont's Global Group Head for Health, Safety & Security, did say the two priorities rescue teams are working on is re-establishing communications with the drillers and assessing the safest way to clear the debris from within the access tunnel.
He would not speculate on how long any of this might take, what the cause of the two ground fall incidents was, nor give any personal information about the workers who have now been underground for approximately 60 hours.
All he would say is that all indications are they are safe and the company is doing everything in its power to get them out while keeping in continued contact with their families.
"Our absolute priority is the safety and well-being of these three individuals, but also the safety of the emergency response teams supporting this effort," Wessels said.
The three individuals entered the work area at around 6 a.m. Tuesday (July 22). The first collapse took place a little over one hour later, after which they communicated they were secure in a refuge bay. A second collapse cut off communications.
Wessels said all safety protocols were observed, and repeated information previously provided in press releases that the bays are equipped with adequate air, water and food for an extended stay and the one they had retreated to is approximately 700 metres from the ground fall area which is approximately 20 - 30 metres in length and eight metres in height.
Newmont said their next update would be Friday morning (July 25).
