Mining: Utah mining tragedy

Coming from a mining background, (I went to school in a Welsh mining village and my late father worked himself up to be a director of a mining equipment company - until corrupt directors from the right school and right golf club, screwed him in to the ground for not playing their game) so my thoughts go out to the people of Crandall Canyon in Utah.

As if one disaster was not enough, they have now suffered the cruellest of blows. At the time of writing, three rescuers have lost their lives.

In April 2006, in the Tasmanian town of Beaconsfield, fourteen miners escaped safely after a mining collapse. One miner was killed, and the remaining two, Todd Russell and Brant Webb, were trapped in a shaft approximately one kilometre underground. The two trapped miners were found alive five days later and rescue operations continued for nearly two weeks until the two miners were freed.

Australia received a lot of support from overseas during that time - including from mining communities in the US. At times like this, the world is a small mining village, and I know fellow Australians - and indeed supporters of this blog, share my desire for a happy outcome, and no more loss of life.

Could I respectfully ask that only responses relating to this post, be attached to this article - many thanks.