An experienced miner who had fallen about 400 meters into an abandoned mine shaft was remembered as a gentleman after his body was recovered following a distressing rescue operation on Wednesday.
It’s believed that 59-year-old Craig Hugo was carrying out rehabilitation work on the top of the mine’s shaft when he suddenly fell on Tuesday afternoon.
The mine, which was owned by Yancoal, was located in Ellalong and ceased operating in 2021. The shaft, which is believed to be an elevator passage, was approximately 400 meters deep. On Tuesday, emergency services were called to the scene.
A rescue crew was lowered into the shaft using a crane, which was only able to reach the area by a meter.
Before they could retrieve Mr. Hugo’s body, they had to check the levels of oxygen and gas in the mine. His body was recovered on Wednesday afternoon, and his friends described his death as a tragic accident.
According to one of his friends, Mr. Hugo was a kind and professional individual who would be greatly missed. He was from Cessnock and had been working for Yancoal for over 20 years.
It is hard to believe that such a tragic incident has happened to him.
David Moult, the CEO of Yancoal, offered his condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Hugo. He also said that the company would provide its employees with support during this difficult time.
The company’s primary concern is the well-being of its workers and site personnel.
In addition to the emergency services, the company also thanked the contractors, staff members, and regulatory bodies who helped in the recovery operations.
According to data released by Safe Work Australia, in 2023, about 200 workers died on the job in the country. Most of these fatalities were caused by vehicle accidents.
The second leading cause of fatalities among workers was falling from a height. Since 2022, the number of fatalities attributed to this issue has increased by 71 percent.