It's two months since that first blast. Two months since those first sirens, the first spells of sickening worry. Two months since we first saw the image of that blackened shaft, singed and smoking.
Two months, and still those poor families are in a state of nothing. It's painful, draining and extremely frustrating. And in the past week their frustrations have been unfairly agitated.
On Friday Police Commissioner Howard Broad and Gerry Brownlee flew to Greymouth to address the families at a private meeting. It was a bit unusual for the men to be in town and, through their presence, the families naturally anticipated a development of some significance.
There was a development, of course. Howard Broad informed them that after two months the police recovery effort at the Pike River Mine would end. For people desperately hoping to recover their loved ones' remains, it was unwelcome and upsetting news.
But the meeting didn't go to plan.
A few minutes in, Howard Broad was interrupted by a father who's been helping with the mine recovery. The man stood up and told the room that despite all the setbacks over Christmas, in the past 24 hours the recovery teams had achieved their most promising results since the initial blasts. He was frustrated police would consider ending their recovery at a time when headway was potentially being achieved.
I'm not sure whether of not Howard Broad knew of the recent results at the mine, but the interruption seemed to make the police position a little less definite. Families left the meeting simply not knowing what had happened, and journalists outside didn't know what to report. The first family member I spoke to outside said "Nothing's happened. Nothing. It's just the same as before Christmas."
But half an hour later, at the pre-organised media conference, journalists got quite a different message. Reading a prepared statement, Howard Broad calmly explained the police recovery would be ending, and it was up to the mine's receivers as to whether any recovery would continue.
And so began the latest state of flux. Nobody knew quite what position the Police had taken, or what would happen if the receivers wouldn't fund a continued recovery effort. Ultimately it was left to John Key to try and clarify the authorities' position, the first official to utter the 'S' word - sealing the mine.
For two months, families have credited police and authorities for their unfaltering recovery efforts and regular meetings. This time though, for such an important point, the information was poorly handled, and everyone was left confused.
Even as the mine is handed to the receivers, there's absolutely no certainty about Pike River's future.
The Pike River families are desperate for answers, but they are emotive realists. Some have already accepted the mine will never be accessible. Even those who don't at least appreciate what a dangerous and unstable environment Pike River has become.
But they don't deserve to be in limbo.
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