Robotic Camera Searches For Utah Miners

"Long Shot" Technique Could Be Best Chance Left To Find Six Miners Missing Since Aug. 6

(CBS/AP)  And the offer? "Less money, living in a bunkhouse with a whole bunch of guys, we'll work three weeks straight, and we have to provide our own way home, own way back. He didn’t leave me high and dry but he's left my kids without a father for three weeks and less money, and I can’t do that."

Murray said he has told the miners he expects the studies to take about a month but warned it could be longer.

The mining industry provides the economic backbone of eastern Utah's Emery and Carbon counties, where mines have been part of the landscape since the early 1900s and generations of men and women follow their relatives underground.

Since the collapse, the small, tight-knit communities here have poured out support for the families of the trapped, killed and injured men in a series of fundraising events.

Family spokesman Sonny Olsen said all of the money collected is being given to the miners' families and will not be used for any legal expenses, even though the families have retained attorneys.

Also Monday, the first meeting of the new Utah Mine Safety Commission was scheduled. The commission was organized last week by Gov. Jon Huntsman. He has charged the committee with investigating the mine accident and looking for ways to prevent future accidents.

[lucik50]

I believe this new Robotic Camera invention will now pave the way, with more improvements,to saving more miners'' lives now and aid in quicker rescues. Yes, we are moving to slow on developing these type of inventions. Loosing to many of our precious miners who go down in those deep dark mines to provide the rest of us with all our nice conveniences. Mine owners and Operators; Spare no money! Get these inventions going that will lead the rescuers to the trapped miners quickly. In the long run it will save you lots of money and the lives of our loved ones.

[wkvintus]

Posted by SgtRDS at 01:39 AM : Aug 28, 2007
Ya, that''s the truth!!

I hope the weather cooperates a little better, so they can get that robot down there.

I don''t know if the families are reading these posts, but Our prayers are with you, and I hope no matter what the outcome, that things get better, and people will maybe get their heads out of you know where and make things right for you and your fellow miners.

[sgtrds]

Posted by wkvintus at 12:11 AM : Aug 28, 2007


Cool..........

It sure would have been nice if more democrats had paid more attention when Bush was appointing people like Sticker to head MSHA and Brown to head FEMA before they screwed up, that''s true...

[wkvintus]

Just to clarify, I was talking about the playing politics the Democrats are playing now, trying to find any fault where ever they can, instead of trying to solve the problems. I said nothing about the MSHA, yes, I agree with you there.

I won''''t deny that Bush has messed this nation up far worse than others-it is true..He has...worse after 9/11.

That is the comment I was refering to.

[sgtrds]

And I think the Democrats should stop playing ''''politics'''' and get to the real deal, running this country, not just bashing Bush and stopping him from doing anything. I mean, get real people!!!

Posted by wkvintus at 10:18 PM : Aug 27, 2007

But this is not about playing politics and bashing Bush. When Bush came into power one of the very first things his administration did was to slash the budget for MSHA to the bone. Then he went around the Senate confirmation policy after they rejected him twice when the republicans still controlled the Senate and made a recess appointment of an unqualified man as head of MSHA, Richard Stickler, who also as a mine company executive had an open disdain for MSHA since they''d cited his company more then twice the national average. So A, slash the mine safety budget to the bone, plus B, put an unqualified crony in charge of mine safety, equals C, miners dying. This is not about politics. It is about life and death.

[wkvintus]

Ok, now a comment. These people, the miners, have been doing this probably all their lives, that''s why they work in the mines. As for the jobs, I agree, if the mine was found to be unsafe and shut down before the collapse, they would still be out the jobs. Myself, I think they were over mining, seeing that the whole mountain is collapsing, and think the other mines, including ones in Ohio and Illinois, should be investigated for the same reasons.

How did Bush mess up this country??????? I think we should start putting blame on the real guilty party, the terrorists. And I think the Democrats should stop playing ''politics'' and get to the real deal, running this country, not just bashing Bush and stopping him from doing anything. I mean, get real people!!!

[wkvintus]

Ok, I''ve got a question, why did Murray basically shut the one worker up when he was asked about ''mine safety''? Is he not the one responsible for the safety of the mine, and the workers? Why defend him so dilligently, when in the end, he is the one in control of the mine?
Ya, I agree it is time to let the miners go, if these last options don''t find anything, and I feel very sorry for the families of those six. But do we need more deaths on top of those already?

[susanhelit]

... and how much is it worth to spend to recover corpses? Are we really doing so well that this money couldn''t be spent to save the lives of a few hundred impoverished people, help some with rough lives to some education to let them get off welfare and get good jobs?


Sorry, but this is 6 dead bodies. Their families want them, want to know what happened, but that''s not always possible. Every day people vanish in this country, and die, and their families never know. Why so much money for these guys? While there was a real chance they were alive, that''s one thing, but to recover corpses?

[susanhelit]

Can''t say I blame Murray - he''s being accused of being a murderer, slammed for rumors that he didn''t start about the mine being reopened, accused of trying to cover up something by saying that the mine will not be reopened, used as a scapegoat by the governor who doesn''t want people to ask if State safety inspectors missed something, and used as a boogeyman by union recruiters trying to pretend like this couldn''t have happened at any mine - magical union cards holding up the walls or not.

Yeah, I think I''d want to leave Utah too. Sorry workers - I know you want the jobs, but if you want the jobs, you have to stand up a bit for your employer - tell us what is true, what you think, at the least. If he''s that unsafe, then it should be a blessing to be rid of the job (and why were you working there anyway???) - but if he''s not, silence is not right.

[michellem99-2009]

Safety in the workplace is a must..no matter what the job is..I won''t deny that Bush has messed this nation up far worse than others-it is true..He has...worse after 9/11.
For the families, I hope the bodies are found so the get a proper rest. Hell of a way to die. a living hell. Hope they did not suffer.Sorry I am trying to be as gentle as the families may be reading this. I am so sorry. I have been reading this since it happened..

[j-whitman]

Democrat victory ---- Gonzolas Resigns,,,,,, Now force Bush out & we can increase Mine Safety Laws & Fines & Penalties that Bush weakened.