Pike River re-entry 'excellent news' - Tony Kokshoorn

Grey District mayor Tony Kokshoorn says yesterday's Government decision to approve a re-entry of the Pike River Mine has come as a huge relief on the West Coast. Twenty-nine miners were killed in the 2010 explosion. From the outset families of most of the men wanted their bodies recovered and the Prime Minister at the time, John Key, said every effort would be made to do that. But it was later decided going back into the mine would be too dangerous. Yesterday the Minister in charge of the Pike recovery, Andrew Little, said a safe re-entry was possible and would be attempted early next year. Tony Kokshoorn spoke to our reporter Conan Young.