Two Miners Found Dead After Falling Into Void, Investigation Underway

Tributes flow for two miners who were killed in a mine accident in Queensland, Australia on Feb. 16, 2022. (Bill Shorten/Facebook)

An investigation is underway to find the cause of death for two miners who fell into a void at Dugald River Mine in outback Queensland.

Dylan Langridge, 33, and Trevor David, 36, were driven underground in Dugald River at about 9 a.m. on Wednesday when their vehicle plummeted into a 25-metre stope void—a dugout tunnel or space where ore is extracted.

The pair were trapped 125 metres below ground and were later found dead on Thursday afternoon after a desperate search.

Dylan Langridge and Trevor Davis were dead in an accident in Dugald River mine in Queensland on Feb. 16, 2022. (Dan Repacholi MP/Facebook)

A drilling rig also fell into the stope but the drill rig operator managed to escape and raise the alarm.

The Dugald River zinc underground mine is owned by mid-tier global resources company MMG and located about 70 kilometres northwest of Cloncurry in Queensland’s northwest.

The men were employees of Barminco, an underground mining services company.

‘Absolute Tragedy’: Condolences From All Sectors of Society

In a statement to The Epoch Times, the Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ) said mining inspectors have been involved in the emergency response and an investigation is underway to understand how this incident occurred.

“RSHQ is deeply saddened to hear about the tragic incident at Dugald River mine,” the statement read.

“Our thoughts are with the family, friends, and colleagues of the deceased workers at this difficult time. All workers in the resources industry deserve to come home safely after every shift.”

Queensland Resources Minister Scott Stewart said this is an “absolute tragedy” that “should never have happened.”

“My thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends, and colleagues of Trevor Davis and Dylan Langridge who have passed away,” he said in a statement on Feb. 16.

“The loss of a life in any workplace at any time is not acceptable. Families should be able to expect that when their loved ones depart for work that they return safely.”

CEO of Perenti, the parent company of Barminco, Mark Norwell said the outcome was devastating.

“Our primary focus is supporting the families and colleagues of Trevor and Dylan and in parallel completing a comprehensive investigation,” he said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also extended his condolences to the two men’s families, posting on Twitter that they would be “in our hearts tonight” following news of their deaths.

Operations at the mine remain suspended.

MMG Chief Executive Li Liangang said safety is the company’s first value.

“We now need to come together to support everyone who has been impacted and understand the cause of this incident, so that it cannot happen again,” he said.

Minerals Council of Australia CEO Tania Constable said the industry was deeply saddened by the loss of the two workers, adding that it was committed to ensuring every employee returned home safe and healthy.

The total number of people who have died in mining in Australia equates to 3.84 fatalities per 100,000 workers, which is almost 70 percent higher than the national rate of 2.29.

The most common cause of miners’ death was due to vehicle incidents, followed by falling from a height, being hit by falling objects, and being hit by moving objects, according to Safe Work Australia.

A similar accident occurred in July 2020 when an operator was driving a load haul dump in an underground mine in Western Australia. The vehicle fell over the edge of an open 25-metre stope, causing fatal injuries.

 AAP contributed to this report.