Henty Gold Mine update at 4.00pm 24 Jan 2020

Police are continuing to work with the mine on plans for the recovery of the man presumed deceased at Henty Gold Mine.

The man has been missing since 4am yesterday when the earth collapsed in the area he was working in, and there have been no signs of life since.

Police and the mine’s Emergency Response Team used drones with 3D and thermal imaging technology to access the area and have been unable to establish signs of life. Using the imagery and technical information to assess the site it can only be concluded that he died in the incident.

We have been liaising closely with his family since the incident and engaging with the Henty workforce who are all suffering at this tragic time.

Our thoughts remain with the man’s loved ones, friends, colleagues and the West Coast community.

Police will continue to have a presence at the mine for the next few days.

Henty Gold Mine update @ 9.45am 24 Jan 2020

Overnight the search utilised an additional drone with more sensitive three-dimensional laser technology as part of the operation to locate the missing mine worker.

The amount of earth and rock and the situation that presents tells us that it is highly unlikely he could have survived.

This is very sad for the all his family and loved ones and the West Coast community and our thoughts are with them.

We will continue to work with the mine on the recovery operation which is likely to take some time but it’s not possible to say how long.

Henty Gold Mine – Update at 3pm 23 January 2020

Police, fire and mine rescue crews have not yet located a man missing inside Henty Gold Mine after an earth collapse in the early hours of this morning.

Search crews have now returned to the surface after using a thermal imaging drone and a robotic camera to investigate the collapsed area.

They are currently reviewing the footage from the scene and have not yet located the man or identified signs of life.

Henty Gold Mine search update at 11.00 am 23 January 2020

The search for a missing mine worker at Henty Gold Mine on Tasmania’s West Coast will utilise a thermal imaging drone and a robotic camera to search the area of collapsed earth.

Officers from Tasmania Police’s Bomb Response Group are preparing to head underground as close as safely possible (likely to be approximately 50m) from the area of collapsed earth to utilise a robotic camera.

Tasmania Police’s Chief Pilot will also go underground to operate a thermal imaging drone.

The mine’s Emergency Response Team will utilise the information from the drone and the camera to locate the man and develop a plan for evacuation.

Ambulance Tasmania is also part of the crew heading underground.

Henty Gold Mine Search

Police and emergency services are currently on the scene at Henty Gold Mine on the West Coast where a mining worker is missing underground.

The worker was reported missing about 4am after his colleagues could not make communications contact with him and entered the area he was working in, about 20 minutes descent underground.

The three men found a section of earth collapsed and were unable to locate their colleague. They went back to the surface and raised the alarm.

When they deem it safe the mine’s rescue team will commence searching.

Work Safe Tasmania and the Mines Inspector have been notified.