Four choppers, a plane and a princess

THE media heavies who have converged on Beaconsfield are treating residents either with a) the utmost respect or b) scant regard for basic human decency, depending on who you talk to. The truth is probably somewhere in between.

A local businessman and resident called John told me he had chased at least a dozen media vehicles from a private easement between his home and the back of the mine complex. ‘’I think some of them were planning on camping out there in hire vans or something,’ he said.’

John, who retired to the town from Queensland several years ago for the quiet life, says now he’s “chasing reporters out of the bush at 10.30pm.”

One television correspondent who described himself as “an old war horse” said he had been on site for a week and was far from impressed with some media outlets. ‘’Sunday lunch time was really quiet with just a few of us here and then on Monday, after they found out they were alive, the place turned into a bloody circus. The outlets who have just arrived are covering old news ground and running around like storm troopers.”

“Only this morning a photographer accosted members of the Russell family as they went shopping, they can’t walk down the main street of their home town anymore … it’s a disgrace.”

As he speaks, two news choppers start circling the mine. “I mean just look at that,” pointing skywards, “I know they need some new footage but all that’s doing is annoying locals. These are good people, who I have come to know, I mean a couple of them have even been bringing us home cooked meals.”

The local cricket ground has become a temporary airport housing four helicopters with a chartered aircraft circling overhead. “The story is 920m below us not up there, it’s just too much. Things haven’t got much better since Princess Naomi [Today Tonight host Naomi Robson] arrived either.”

Host of A Current Affair, Tracy Grimshaw, said it was disappointing some of the media were annoying the locals. “I can’t speak on behalf of other media outlets, but we are treating the story with respect. We are here until they bring those guys up so it’s important we have a good relationship with the community,” she said. “This is a bit like Thredbo in the sense it’s a tight-knit community that isn’t used to the media spotlight while waiting to bring one of their own out.

“Yesterday I had to tell a cameraman to stop filming me putting my make-up on outside the mine before a broadcast. That’s not news, the story here is all about those two guys below us. I think part of the problem is that there are so many journalists, I mean we are just one part of the Channel Nine coverage. It’s becoming a big competition between networks to find a new story here.”

Ms Grimshaw said criticism of ACA’s coverage on Monday — the program followed its mine broadcast with a story on cellulite — was probably justified. “There is only one host of the show and some stories were pre-programmed, we will be having a discussion about that when we get back home.”

Over at Today Tonight, host Naomi Robson said the story had created logistical problems for Channel Seven. “Most of our equipment is wireless broadband and that doesn’t work at the mine site.” The interview is temporarily halted as Ms Robson accosts one of her “helpers”: “What do you mean the tele-prompter isn’t working, I don’t care if it has to come from Sydney, fix it.”

Standing in front of a foot-high pile of empty coffee cups, Ms Robson said that coming up with new angles was just a matter of applying your brain. “It’s a moving feast and the longer this thing goes on the harder it will become to find a new angle.”

Other journalists have criticised Ms Robson for her “princess” demeanour, which saw her sit out one press conference so she could get her hair done. Our self-described “old war horse” said it was obvious some TV presenters had little idea of what they were up against. “This thing is happening in regional Tasmania, they should be happy the only café in town makes a good latte. As for expecting wireless broadband to work they must be joking.”

But Ms Robson said her team was totally committed to providing quality coverage of the rescue. “We are working in shifts around the clock and will continue to do so until this is over.” Some journalists listening to the interview took this to mean Ms Robson had other people working around the clock to make her look good.

The final word on the rescue coverage goes to the local hairdresser. Jeanette Savage said she had even had TV crews in her salon. “I know they are just doing their job, but what news story are they going to find in my salon? They must be getting desperate.”

And,

Beaconsfield: a rescue that’s unprecedented

THE rescue operation being undertaken at Beaconsfield is probably unprecedented, says the former member of occupational health and safety management at Tasmania’s Renison Bell Tin Mine.

The combination of depth, the amount of solid rock to be drilled through and a mish-mash of rubble were unique problems, Bob Cohen said yesterday. “In ten years in the mining industry I can’t recall a situation quite like this, unfortunately mining accidents world-wide are fairly common but this situation hasn’t eventuated before.”

Mr Cohen also believes steel reinforcing may have saved the miners’ lives. “It appears they were rock bolting when the accident happened. This involves drilling holes up to 6m long and bolting in to the rock to reinforce the tunnel’s roof. This is an everyday part of mining but obviously something went very wrong.”

“In usual circumstances, no-one would have survived a cave in that far underground, the steel reinforcing above them would technically have saved their lives. If it wasn’t in place the sheer velocity and amount of rocks that fell would no doubt have crushed their cage”.

“It is impossible to speak to someone who would absolutely know what to do as this level of ‘rescue’ has never been done before. The rescuers would be drilling through rock one minute and then an open cavern would appear.”

“Sensors would have indicated which way to go but playing pick-up-sticks with two lives is something none of us would ever want to have to do. Make no mistake, these guys were never lost, the mine would have very accurate sensors and known exactly where they were. The only thing they wouldn’t have known was whether they were alive or not.”

Mr Cohen has his own theory as to why Larry Knight didn’t survive the cave in. “Put simply, the three miners were in a vehicle, somewhat like a cherry-picker, they look like a big Tonka Toy. It was lamentable that Larry Knight would have been driving the vehicle and not in a solid cage.”

“However Todd Russell and Brant Webb were in a cage, the steel and rocks that fell on them 1km down would have fallen very much like a house-of-cards, an uneven and chaotic mess. Now the whole thing is buried under a pile of rubble with these guys stuck in the middle.”

“After the cave-in the miners may have been able to open the gate on the cage but being uncertain about the possibility of another rock fall, would have chosen not to. The cage has withstood the pressure until now, but how the hell they are going to do this, is really unknown.”

“All that is sure is that these men will be head-hunted the world over by mining companies if they succeed after an experience like this.”