Today Police have notified the families of the 29 Pike River Mine victims that imagery work from the additional boreholes has captured two sets of human remains, plus a possible third.
The images have been reviewed by Pathologists and were taken in the furthest reaches of the mine from the entrance. Due to the location of the remains, Police will not be able to recover them.
“It has been nearly 11 years since the Pike River Mine disaster where 29 men tragically lost their lives. These images will add to the picture of the investigation as we work to provide answers for the families,” says Detective Superintendent Peter Read.
“At this point we have been unable to identify the remains however we will consult with forensic experts. Based on our investigation we believe there were six to eight men working in the area where the remains have been located.
"I would like to acknowledge the support from Pike River Recovery Agency staff and our drilling and mining experts who have supported the borehole drilling operation and assisted us with this discovery,” says Detective Superintendent Read.
Out of respect to the families, and as this is an ongoing police investigation, Police will not be releasing the images at this time.
The additional borehole drilling programme started in June and this work has enabled digital scanning and photography of the conditions in the mine near the boreholes.
The drilling programme remains ongoing and is due to be completed before the end of the year.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre