Robot To Assist In Desperate Utah Search

Families of six miners trapped since an August 6th collapse at the Crandall Canyon coal mine near Huntington, Utah, got some relief Sunday with news that a seventh hole is being drilled into the mountain and a camera-equipped robot has been flown to the scene to help find the men.

The camera is similar to one used to search within the wreckage of the World Trade Center in New York City after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Officials say it can take images in the darkened cavern from about 50 feet away with the help of a 200-watt light, can travel 1,000 feet from the end of the test hole and has some ability to move around the rubble.

"We're very excited about it. The families are thrilled to hear this," said Colin King, a lawyer for the miners' families.

Robin Murphy, director of the Institute for Safety Security Rescue Technology at the University of South Florida, said her camera's chance of obtaining images of the trapped miners is a long shot. She said it was not clear whether the camera would fit all the way down the hole and into the mine, and that debris in the shaft could obscure any images.

"There's mud, there's rocks, there's things that make it unfavorable," Murphy said.

Also Sunday, the CEO of the company that operates the mine - Murray Energy, one of the largest privately owned mining companies in the U.S. - said the company is taking a second look at safety in one of its other Utah mines.

Bob Murray says Murray Energy is temporarily closing the Tower mine, to make safety upgrades, and in order to avoid layoffs, is offering jobs in Ohio and Illinois to miners from both the Tower and the West Ridge coal mines, another Murray Energy coal mine in Utah.

"This thing in Crandall Canyon is unprecedented," Murray told the Deseret Morning News, in Salt Lake City. "I ask myself 'What if that did occur at one of the other mines?' and I came up with the answer: I want more opinions and I want more modifications to the equipment."

Murray says the temporary shutdown affects 170 miners, who have until noon Monday to decide whether to take the jobs out-of-state. The newspaper says the miners would work for three weeks at the out-of-state jobs, with transportation, board, and utilities paid by Murray Energy. After three weeks, they'd be flown home to their families.

"If they choose this, there will be no one laid off and no one will miss a paycheck," says Murray.

Murray says he told the miners he expects the studies to take about a month but has warned them that it could take longer.

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[usawarrior]

incog-nito is right on the money. "They are dead, buried. Bringing them up to rebury them again serves no purpose." Some things we should think with the heart, but at times we need to think with the mind. The miners are dead... let them rest in peace right where they are. To risk more lives trying to do the obviously impossible (rescue that is) is passionately insane and serves no purpose. Let%u2019s remember the ballad of %u201CBig John%u201D.

[usawarrior]

incog-nito is right on the money. "They are dead, buried. Bringing them up to rebury them again serves no purpose." Some things we should think with the heart, but at times we need to think with the mind. The miners are dead... let them rest in peace right where they are. To risk more lives trying to do the obviously impossible (rescue that is) is passionately insane and serves no purpose. Let%u2019s remember the ballad of %u201CBig John%u201D.

[my48p]

I would like to know why wait till now to drill a hole in the kitchen area of the mine.If the crews are told to go their if thier is a problem (shouldent that hole have been drilled sonner?)

[brianbwb-2009]

Bajamber,

You bring up a good point, but history has shown that to bring up issues that would dent the business owners'' profits can be fatal to your job, if not your person, and mine safety has been among the most notorious ever since the days when they used children as miners.

For more evidence, see the articles on those who blew whistles on the corruption of the Iraq war budget, some were even tortured.

[annia1233]

I also thought why they did not start drilling at the kitchen area in the first place if they knew the miners were trained to move there in emergencies.
Then i recounted the news and realized the collapse was fast, they heard the miners in one point of the mine and then the collapse. the most logical move is to drill the place where they were heard last or the place they thought they may be, not the kitchen, they probably had no time to run, they probably are below all the ruble. Poor miners, poor family. Gd help them on this hour to accept they are gone and will never come back.

[bajamber]

My heart goes out to the families of the trapped miners; and I feel that every effort needs to be made to find out if they are still alive. However, if they are not, then I don''t feel it is worth any more lives to bring the bodies out.

A lot of blame has been laid at Murray''s doorstep and the mining industry. When miner''s go into a mine, they know the hazards and perils they face. If the miners and their families did not feel the mine was safe, why weren''t all of those issues brought up before they went in? It''s easy for all of us to sit back and judge what went on, but the ultimate responsibility for one''s safety and well being belongs to each individual.

[grammawhamma]

I feel for the families of the missing miners but no more lives need to be lost to this disaster to bring out bodies. It is time to mourn, hold funerals and put up headstones of those lost in the mine on the mountain...their final resting place. Rest in peace. Amen.

[edward1975-2009]

It is most certainly a recovery mission at this point. The time is fast approaching when the task at hand will be to say good-bye to these men and to bring closure to the families. May they find peace in their faith and may these miners rest in peace.

[stephengosson]

If it was known that the miners were trained to move to the kitchen area in an event such as this, why didn''t they begin drilling there on day one, post-haste??
Or, at least, simultaneous drilling there while their first drill followed the direction that they believed was correct.
That''s a minor fact in the story that BEGS for further elaboration!!

[wonderyman-2009]

Remove 1, 10 or 50 bricks from the ground floor wall of a 10 story building - not much happens.
Continue to remove bricks, and at some point the building comes down.
Mountain "bursts" - rock shooting out of the sides of mine shafts - are proof the foundation of the mountain has been depleted from "over-mining".