The bodies were found 11 years after the New Zealand mine disaster

Eleven years after the mine disaster that killed 29 people in New Zealand, investigators said on Wednesday they had found the remains of at least two people, but did not know if they would recover them.

The 2010 Bike River coal mine disaster was one of New Zealand’s worst industrial accidents, sparking numerous accident recovery efforts and criminal investigations.

The catastrophe is believed to have been caused by an explosion caused by a methane compound.

Only two of the 31 miners who were working were able to evacuate it alive.

Recovery efforts ended after several tunnels collapsed, but by drilling, experts were able to collect images of the deeper parts of the tunnel.

Police said they were able to observe the remains of two bodies and one-third of the bodies.

“Currently we are unable to identify the remains, but we will consult with forensic experts,” Detective Peter Reid said, adding that because of the location, police could not recover the bodies.

“Based on our investigation, we believe six to eight men worked in the area where the remains were found,” he added.

However, Minister for Rescue Services Andrew Little commented, “(The bodies) are unlikely to be recovered … I know some families want to go further, but that is not possible.”

The families of the victims said they hoped the discovery would help in potential lawsuits.

“We have been fighting hard for years to get justice for our children, and this is part of it,” said Rowdy Durbridge, whose son Daniel was killed in the bombing.

cf / arb / jah / msd / mas / dbh