Pike River mine re-entry by year's end - Monk

  • 15/06/2018
Pike River.
Pike River. Photo credit: Getty

The Pike River families are confident a re-entry into the mine will take place by the end of the year.

A meeting held in Greymouth on Thursday came up with three re-entry options, which will be considered over the next month.

Pike River Recovery Agency CEO Dave Gawn says the options are all viable.

"We have a good degree of confidence that we can achieve the re-entry going forward in a manner that is safe and appropriate."

Families spokesperson Bernie Monk says he's also confident the plans will work.

"It's still got to be peer-reviewed, but it is something very similar to what we were trying to do some years ago… By the end of this month it should be all done. If all goes well and the minister okays things, I can see us starting re-entry by the end of the year."

Mr Monk says re-entering the mine will be a bittersweet day, but it couldn't have happened without a change of Government.

"If we hadn't of gotten a change of Government, I don't think we'd be going down this track."

Twenty-nine men lost their lives in the 2010 disaster, including Mr Monk's son Michael.

Newshub.