22 Dec 2016

Pike families say they won't back down

From Morning Report, 7:32 am on 22 December 2016

Families of the men killed in the Pike River disaster say they have no intention of stopping their protest on the privately owned road leading to the mine.

A makeshift checkpoint set up on the road to Pike River Mine by some of the families of the 29 men who died.

A makeshift checkpoint set up on the road to Pike River Mine by some of the families of the 29 men who died. Photo: RNZ / Maja Burry

They're determined to stop Solid Energy permanently sealing the mine, which would end any chance of recovering the remains of the 29 men who died in an explosion six years ago.

Solid Energy says it has reminded the road's owner the company has a legal right to use the road, and says the landowner, Colin van der Geest, has withdrawn permission for the protesters to be there.