Fears for two missing workers as harrowing new details emerge about how a Queensland mine collapsed
- Two miners are trapped in Queensland
- They reportedly fell down a stope
- Cameras are being used to find them
There are desperate fears for two workers after a 30-tonne drill rig plummeted 25 metres into the pit of a remote Queensland mine.
The workers reportedly became trapped inside a stope – a hole used to excavate minerals from the mine – at the Dugald River mine, about 70 kilometres from Cloncurry in the state’s northwest, after a drill rig fell into the mine pit on Wednesday morning.
It’s understood part of the workers’ ute was discovered in the debris at the bottom of the pit after the vehicle partially fell into the stope during the incident, ABC reports.
It’s believed workers who first discovered the ute while assisting the drill operator – who was injured but survived the incident – tried to reach the missing miners over radio.
Police and emergency services were called to the scene at about 1.05pm.
Two miners are trapped in the Dugald River zinc mine in rural northwest Queensland (pictured, a map of where the mine is located)
It is understood the incident unfolded after a drill rig fell into a mine pit (pictured, Dugald River mine)
Search and rescue teams are using drone cameras to find the two workers trapped in the hole.
MMG Limited said in a statement: ‘Two Barminco employees working at MMG’s Dugald River mine in Queensland were this morning involved in an incident and currently remain unaccounted for.
‘The site’s emergency response has been activated and is working closely with Barminco and authorities to assist in search and rescue efforts.
‘Operations at Dugald River have been halted while the search is underway.
‘MMG has extended all available resources and support to Barminco and the Dugald River mine.’
Barminco is a hard rock mining service owned by Perenti, a global mining group.
It’s understood the two Dugald River mine (above) workers were reported missing after a drill rig fell into the pit