Beaconsfield mine update

Thursday April 27, 2006

Margaretta Pos in Hobart writes:

The desperate rescue bid continues to find two miners trapped one kilometre underground at the Beaconsfield Gold mine in northern Tasmania since Tuesday night. A third miner was found dead at 7.22am and grave fears are held for the safety of the others.

Mine manager Matthew Gill told an on site media conference this morning that the identity of the man wasn’t known, but did not elaborate. The
miners – Brant Webb, Todd Russell and Larry Knight – have been missing since an earthquake caused a rock fall in the mine shaft, thought to have been caused by mining activity. The mine was closed last October after an earthquake caused damage.

Trading in Beaconsfield Gold NL shares were halted by the Australian Stock Exchange yesterday at the request of the company.

To celebrate Crikey’s 10th birthday, every day for the rest of the year we’ll be dipping into the vault to publish an item from the very same date from one of the past 10 years. Today: Thursday, April 27, 2006.