Beaconsfield (2012) Movie Script
1
Brant.
Really?
Stop it.
Are you really asleep?
Oh, who's that?
It's Daddy.
Hi.
Hello.
How's my beautiful boy?
Oh, did you have a good night?
Not so good.
Go back to bed sweetheart.
Really?
Yeah, go on, have a rest.
Thank you.
I think he's done a poo.
Fantastic.
Liam, I'm sleeping, get out of here.
No, I want you to play with me.
Carolyn!
Come on, Liam.
Your dad's sleeping.
I'm not bloody sleeping!
Come on, come have some breakfast.
I'm not hungry.
Sh.
It's bloody cold.
Come on, Dad, toughen up.
Gonna head over to.
Have a look around there.
Aren't you doing some family photos?
I don't know.
Cat will organize some bloody thing.
It'll be good.
You go, then.
Happy wife, happy life.
What were you saying?
Brant?
Yeah.
You should get the fish on.
Hey.
Should come out on the weekend with us.
Take the boat out.
There's so much fish around.
Not like Queensland, far
from the catch out there.
Was it too many fishermen?
No fisherman, bloody walled off.
Mate, I was up there once, right,
on the Normandy River.
I was collecting my crabs, right.
There've got to be 800 in
the back of the dinghy, okay.
All of a sudden, there's this smash
on the side of the boat,
and there's this bloody big crocodilly,
doing just a bit of that, huh?
This thing's like 30 foot long, serious.
It was like big enough
to swallow me whole,
and that, my friends, is
just one of the reasons
why you do not want to catch crabs.
Rach.
Come on, don't worry about the dishes.
Come in.
All right, let me clean up first.
Oh, clean up later, come on.
Come on.
You can do it later.
It's hot.
Oh, do I detect you may want to.
What, out here?
Yeah, it wouldn't be the first time.
It would be a first time with me.
That's rubbish.
We've done it out here before.
I haven't.
No?
Who am I thinking of?
I'm just kidding.
I've spent some days thinking
'bout the pleasures you take
How minutes spent waiting
were our steps closer to fate
Time took its way in the
failure that we always made
Time had its way in the
loving of leaving we've laid
Would you play for Collingwood, Dad?
Nah, mate, it was
Carleton who's after me.
The Blues, why didn't you play for them?
I wouldn't have.
He was good enough.
He just didn't like the training.
Why?
All right, what do
you want for your crib?
I'm not going, gonna call in sick.
Todd, if you're going to call in sick,
can you get on with it?
Because I'm making rice.
Otherwise the kids and I'll have pasta.
Ah, stuff it.
I imagine we'll go in.
Hey Trent, when you gonna
make me one of them bracelets?
Everybody else has got one.
I don't know.
Get in, Phil, you got
to the end of the 980,
and finish what you were doing last night.
John, Trent, you go with him.
Ready plate the old cable box,
and head down to the 1080 level,
and begin prepping the area for blasting.
Mick, you're on the SEMA.
Brant, ready you go down
with Todd to the 925 West.
No, I'm not doing stone work.
I thought you said I wasn't
going to get down again.
Do me a favor.
I promise you'll be in air tops.
I'll get you out of there
and up to the factory plant.
Yeah, all right.
But only because you're a good bloke.
The rest of you know what you're doing.
All right, you wanna pick up the gear
or you want to drive the telehandler.
The telehandler, I reckon.
All right.
Meet you down there.
Yeah.
What'd you do with my rook?
I didn't touch it.
Yes, you did.
I wouldn't leave my
pawn exposed like that.
- I don't know.
- Not my problem, mate.
Pricks.
Which one of you bastards took my rook?
I will kick your ass
from here to eternity.
Come on, let's get going everyone.
- Checkmate.
- He's dropping.
Weather upset you, Brant?
Don't say that, mate.
It's never gonna happen.
Let's go, go, move it.
G'day.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
We don't have enough mesh.
Larry, haven't got enough mesh, mate.
Can you grab some for us?
Yeah, better let you
down while I go get it.
Nah, we'll be all right, mate.
It'll only be a couple secs here.
Hey, Larry.
Chuck up me water bottle.
Thank you.
What's that, what is it,
Pirates of the Caribbean?
You seen it?
Nope.
It's bloody hilarious.
So I'm going to...
Oh.
All men back to the crib room immediately.
All men back to the crib room immediately.
Every man copy me, please.
Yeah, Dick here.
Buddy here.
Yo, copy that, Mark and James here.
Chuck out here.
Two here.
Casiron, mate, everyone's fine here.
Johnny on the 18 here.
I'll call it in.
Get the ambulance organized.
Larry, can you hear me, Larry?
Todd, Larry, Brant, please respond.
Matthew Gill.
G'day, Matthew, it's Rex here.
There's been a rock fall at the mine.
I don't know, mate.
Go down and get started.
What do you know?
Not much.
I'm still heading down there myself.
Is anyone injured?
We're not sure at this point,
but not everyone's accounted for.
Carolyn speaking.
It's Brenda.
There's been a seismic at the mine.
We need Todd to come in as
part of the rescue team.
No, he, Todd's, he's at the mine.
He's on a shift tonight.
Brenda.
I'm so sorry.
- I have to go, Carolyn.
- What?
Rex needs me to get the team together,
but I'll call you back.
Yeah, okay.
Been a rock fall at the mine.
Was Dad in it?
I don't know.
Pat, it's Matthew.
What's happening there?
There's three men missing.
I'm not sure how everyone else is.
It's not a drill?
It's not a drill.
A room at the council
chambers is being set up
for the families.
I'm working on a meeting release,
which ideally we should get out
in the next couple of hours.
When can you get that to me?
Within an hour.
Man the phones, prepare for an onslaught.
He parked.
Who?
Todd, Larry, and Webby,
they're working in the west side.
All right, I'm going in.
I'll be quick.
Pat.
Todd, Webby, hello.
Boys, call out to me.
Make a sound if you can hear me.
Larry.
Todd, Webby, hello.
There's a telehandler under there.
Must be.
You know what, they're fucked.
Three guys were halfway along 925 west,
working in the telehandler about here.
Now that's just a guess,
because there's no sign of
them or the telehandler.
It's just a bloody great pile of rock,
more than a thousand ton.
Now Cheesy was down there
three minutes before the fall,
and said that Larry was
in the driver's seat,
and Todd and Brant were in the basket.
So Todd and Brant
were completely exposed.
Exactly.
Our only hope is for Larry.
The cab of the telehandler
is falling object protected.
Sure, it's not designed
to withstand 1,000 ton,
but there's a chance
Larry might still be alive
and trapped in the cab.
All right, I hope we're
not buried very far.
How's your leg?
Can't feel it.
It's like it's not there.
It's the buggery.
Are there any side spaces down there,
any cutties they could've taken refuge in
if they'd had some warning?
No, there's no side space down there.
The best chance of survival
is the telehandler driver.
That's who we should try to get to.
Except you can't send any men in.
There's a hell of a lot
rock to get through,
and it's popping.
It's cracking at the moment.
It's horrible down there.
You'll be risking more lives.
What about using a police
tracking vehicle, the Cyclops?
They don't like it wet much,
and there's a lot of water down there.
Could we dig them out remotely?
Maybe, but we don't know
exactly where they are,
so we don't know where to dig.
And any digging is perilous.
It's likely to dislodge more rocks
and start another rock fall.
So you'd have to use a Tele-remote Bogger.
Who has one?
Some of the west coast mines have them.
Find one tonight.
Jesus.
What have we did?
Hey, John McGinny.
It keeps going through my
head over and over and over.
I hope they went fast.
It might've ever.
We don't know.
You done that airflow
when you already did.
Help!
Help!
Larry!
Larry!
William!
Can anyone hear me?
Is anyone there?
Hello!
Brant.
Don't do anymore.
How is it?
It's not going to be too bad.
It's just, just a few scratches.
You thirsty, mate?
Yeah.
All right.
Oh hell, it was rank.
I reckon fuel.
Hang on, mate, okay.
Help!
Help!
What's wrong?
There's been a rock fall at the mine.
Is Brant all right?
At this stage, he's missing.
Most people wouldn't have felt the minor
earth tremor that brushed the town
of Beaconsfield in Tasmania last night,
but the tremor was just enough to cause
an underground rock fall
at the town's gold mine,
nearly one kilometer underground.
Three miners were immediately
cut off from the surface.
Melissa LeWine is a reporter
from ABC's Launceston office,
and she's at Beaconsfield
and joins us now.
Melissa, has there been
any contact with the men
since the rock fall occurred?
I was unaware, that no, at this stage,
there hasn't been, you know.
The family and residents
and the mines have raised
concerns about the well-being
of these workers because of that.
So you know that Dad's been
in an accident in the mine?
Can he dig his way out?
He's probably trying to right now.
Could Dad die?
Dad won't die.
Dad's tough.
That's right, Daddy's tough.
So we have to be very strong while Rex
and his team, you know, try to find him.
Yeah?
Will he be home for tea?
Well, he might be.
It might just take a little
bit longer than that.
An extensive search
and rescue operation is
now underway.
The side of the rock fall
is still extremely dangerous
and is preventing rescuers
from reaching the spot
where the miners are.
It is unknown at this time
whether the three men have
survived the rock fall.
As you would appreciate, we
are all extremely concerned
about what has happened.
We're doing whatever we
can to get to the three men
without putting the rescuers at risk.
As it has now been more than
15 hours since the collapse,
we hold grave fears for our colleagues.
A remote control earth mover equipped
with a camera is being prepared to descend
into the area to evaluate
the situation further.
They know where we are.
Larry would've told them.
We'll use the lamp when we have to.
We might really need a light later on.
I'm going to try and dig us out.
Hi, it's Lauren.
Yes.
When?
I'll try and get down today.
A major rescue operation is
underway in Tasmania tonight,
where a wall collapsed in.
An underground gold mine
has trapped three workers.
All today and overnight, search
and rescue crews have probed
every accessible area of
underground maze.
Battling dust and
hundreds of tons of loose
and broken rock, it's a race against time.
The families wait anxiously for news
from behind closed doors as
their rescue attempt continues
nearly a kilometer under
the earth's surface.
I'll stay awake.
What time is it?
I'm not sure.
I can, ten minutes.
Can you do that?
Yep.
It's past ten minutes.
Yeah?
Was that ten minutes?
Yeah, it was ten.
You sure?
I'm not sure.
I'm freezing.
I can't move.
What?
That will warm you up now.
C'mon mate, better?
There is a very somber mood
around the community today,
and it's going to take a lot of resilience
on behalf of all the
members of the community
to overcome this disaster.
And as you say, 30 hours has gone by,
so things are looking pretty grim.
Champion Country Footballer Todd Russell,
a father of three young children has lived
in the area his whole life.
The other two missing men, Brant Webb
and Larry Knight also live locally.
Mr. Knight's daughter
arrived from Brisbane
this afternoon to keep vigil.
- Hi.
- Hi.
We're through the bump.
They can't be far to the open side.
If I can get to there.
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.
We need to find ball cutters
or an ax or anything, okay?
Ball cutters in your tool bag.
What are you talking about?
Just have a look around you.
For what?
For something to cut with.
The fuck I can't see.
We got the on top.
Just help me.
Come on.
Help me.
Come on.
Dig it.
What the fuck is that?
What?
You been smoking?
Nah.
Bullshit, really?
Big deal.
What if I have?
I've been doing all the fucking work.
Cut it out.
I'm filling up with your
filthy fucking smoke.
Cut it out.
You know, I don't know if you noticed,
but right now, I'm trapped
a kilometer underground.
So I think I might wait until my life is
just a little less stressful.
Up to you.
Move over, you big bastard.
I gotta do a piss.
What?
Move your fucking johns.
Jesus.
Bloody hell.
Whoops.
The national interest surrounding
this story continues to grow,
and in news just heard, the bogger,
which is being used to dig out the buried
miners has starter motor problems,
which will cause even further delays
in what's become a drawn-out process.
Hi, do you know if there are
starter motor problems with the bogger?
Yes, there are.
It came through on the radio.
And it's just been reported on the TV.
The media are monitoring our radios,
the fucking bastards,
the last thing we need.
Ladies, keep your radio use to a minimum.
Nothing sensitive to be said,
or it'll end up on the fucking television.
The bogger's ready to go.
Right, right, let's go, let's move.
You want to check that load?
Yeah, go for it.
What's he looking for?
Bodies.
Do you like fishing?
No.
What about football?
Yes.
Used to play for the team Marquettes.
Is that how you fell?
Yes.
I felt my leg.
You got any kids?
Yeah.
Me too.
I got, you know, twins.
You must've started young.
Yeah.
We met at school, childhood sweethearts.
Yeah, me and Carolyn
met in school in Exeter.
How many kids you got?
Three.
Trent, Madison and Liam, he's four.
Is he a handful?
He's a bright little boy.
He loves the footy like his dad.
Hi, Cheesy.
Carolyn.
I have to tell you something.
Mom, can you put them in the back for me?
Sure.
You have to know what
it was like down there.
No.
If you saw what I saw.
There's no hope for survival.
No hope.
Just stop talking.
Why would you say that to me?
I don't want to listen
to this, so just go.
Carolyn.
I don't need you here, so go.
Just get out, get out.
Hey, what about a bit of muesli bar?
Hm?
Here.
I'm not having half.
Save the rest.
Kind of rough, mate.
Don't stuff yourself.
That's them right there.
We're here!
We're still alive.
We're still alive.
We're here!
We're here!
They're trying to move the telehandler.
If they do, we're dead.
Everything will come down on us.
We're here.
We're here.
Come and get us.
We're here.
We're here.
We're here.
Stop, stop!
The tunnel's gone.
It's collapsed.
They can't hear us.
They'll find us.
They're on their way.
You can push that stockpile up.
You'll fit a bit more in there.
Just fucking do it, Honky.
We better move.
Press conference is in five minutes.
Just getting my notes straight.
What?
They've found a body.
I'll call you back.
Who is it?
We're not sure.
Probably the driver, Larry Knight.
Leave the body where it is.
We'll get retrieval procedures in place.
I'll contact the families.
Just tell them we found a body.
We have to wait for formal confirmation
before we can release any names.
I'll talk to the press.
I'll say we're at a delicate
point in the rescue,
and you'll come out in a couple of hours.
Yeah, Bill, he's not available right now.
I'll have to get him to call you back.
It's Bill Shorten.
Get me the number of the
coroner's office, please.
I can't hear anyone.
I've been on a rescue team before.
I know how it works, mate.
Hey.
They're gonna get us out.
Any hopes of finding two miners alive
deep underground in Tasmania
are fading by the hour.
The body of one of the
three who were trapped
early yesterday was found this morning.
The somber faces of those who exited
the mine shaft this morning said it all.
They'd located one of
their fallen colleagues
in the most extraordinarily
difficult circumstances,
their boss confirming the worst.
At 7:22 this morning, one body was found
at the Beaconsfield mine site.
We've informed the families,
but we are unable to confirm the identity.
The Tasmanian
coroner has now taken control
of the investigation and was
at the site this afternoon.
Identity will be released as soon as
identity is confirmed.
We need to use disaster
victim identification
procedures for that.
The search for two others continues,
but hopes are fading.
Today it was revealed that
there are no safety chambers
in the shaft at 925 meters,
where the man's body was found.
They're not sure who that man is,
and they don't know if it's their father,
or if it's their brother
or if it's their husband.
Oh, excuse me.
Excuse me, sorry.
Excuse me, Rachel.
I'm sorry, but you can't take that stuff.
Why not?
We're going to need it for the coroner.
Well, they've identified the body,
and it's not Brant.
I know, but later on, they'll need it.
Well, they're not gonna need it later on,
because there is no later on.
Because my husband is alive.
We thought Larry was here
in the cab of the telehandler
at the time of the rock fall.
However, his body was found here,
behind the telehandler.
So Larry must've got
out of the telehandler
after he saw Cheesy, but
why would he do that?
Well, maybe he had some
warning of the rock fall
and was trying to run to somewhere safer?
So Todd and Brant would've
had the same warning
and could've run out
the other way, this way.
Yeah, but if they run out that way,
then they would've crawled over the top
of the telehandler by now.
What if there wasn't any warning?
Or what if, for some reason,
they couldn't get out of the basket?
Then they're still there.
So how do we get to them?
There's a possible entry by the 915.
Nah, I've been down there,
and there's no way through.
Could we get to them from
here, from the decline?
The only way you get
through there is by blasting.
I can't see another choice.
We'll have to blast our way in.
I think it's the only way.
Do you accept the blasting
of the basket will terminate
the reason for our rescue?
It won't be a rescue anymore.
It'll be body retrieval.
We'll get halfway and
then we'll probe for life.
Show me another way through, Rex,
and I'll happily do it.
At this stage, it's our only option.
You're not treating this like a rescue.
Yes, we are.
No, you're not.
How far away do you usually
stand when blasting goes on?
How far?
Probably a couple hundred meters.
Then why are you blasting ten meters
from where Brant might be?
We're trying to get to them
the best way we can.
Brant's not dead.
I know he's not.
He's alive, and you're
supposed to keep him that way.
I've forgotten how bad it is.
I haven't.
Can you hear that?
No.
Yes, you can.
It's machinery.
It's the rescue.
I keep getting specimens in my legs.
So do I.
Keep them moving.
Work on the new tunnel is progressing.
We have to drive a tunnel 36 meters long
and about 4.5 meters high and wide.
Just because you can't see much going on
up here doesn't mean that
nothing is happening.
The first lot of blast holes have
already been drilled in preparation.
Safety is paramount.
The biggest issue is seismicity,
and we're therefore planning
for worst-case stress scenario,
but we cannot rush this.
We cannot risk more lives.
Thank you.
What time is it?
Almost 2:00.
Are you having pain?
Don't hurt.
What's the biggest piece of gold
you've ever seen down this mine?
Nothing to speak of.
Well, I once found a block,
about the size of a golf ball.
Where have you got that buried?
Nah, I was a good boy.
Chucked it in the grizzly.
It's that fucking rescue, mate.
Call out to rescue.
You can't think like that.
You know what just happened?
They're fucking blowing us up.
Settle down, or I swear to God,
I'm gonna give you a big
fat lip kiss on the mouth.
I mean it.
I'll lay one right on you.
I want to go back down there.
Cheesy, you're not going down.
You need a shift boss, put me on.
I'm not doing it, mate.
Come on, I reckon I know a way in.
You been through enough.
You're not going down,
and I'll ban you from
the site if I have to.
I want to get those boys out, Pat.
I want their families
to be able to bury them.
I know you do.
If you get out, and I die,
can you go see my family?
Yeah.
Yeah, I'll look out for them, mate.
They won't be alone.
Thanks.
I'll do the same for you.
Yeah.
Are lights on up there?
They're supposed to be rescuing us.
They must have a plan.
Never heard of anyone
blowing up survivors.
It's not much of a plan.
They're looking for dead bodies.
I hope you don't die.
I don't want to be stuck
in here with a dead body.
When I was a professional fisherman,
people used to shit
themselves on the boat.
I've pulled up on a couple.
You pull up on a boat,
and you look at the deck,
and you see this big, brown stain.
You get closer, and you see the body.
You see a gun.
Those bodies, they swell up.
They stink.
I wouldn't want to be
stuck in here with one.
Here.
10:30.
Still alive.
These have just come in.
There is a refuge gully down there.
Since when?
Well, obviously it went in
between this and the last one.
Where is it?
Here.
Right next to the telehandler.
So they might've run there.
Well, they might've.
Let's go down.
Well, you know you're
not to go to the 925.
It's still very dangerous
and unpredictable down there.
No worries, mate.
I wouldn't go there.
It's blasting off the other wall.
Over there's, the LV.
It's gone backed it out of the way
by piercing the fuel tank.
That's why you can smell diesel.
That your finger?
No.
Good.
I don't know any of their songs.
Okay, I'm not giving up yet.
How about the Foo Fighters?
The Food Fighters?
You can't be serious.
You've never heard of the Foo Fighters?
No.
Do you ever turn your radio on?
When we're at Lake Flannigan.
Oh, hell.
Do you know "Spirit of the High Country"?
No, I don't know.
"The Gambler"?
No.
- Do you know...
- Yeah, yeah, "The Gambler."
It's all because
You've got to know when to hold 'em
Know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away
Know when to run
You never count your money
When you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done
Hello?
Hello?
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done
- Shut up.
- You've got.
Shut up.
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
We're here!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello, are there two of you?
- Yes.
- Yes.
It's me, Pat.
It's me with Salty.
G'day, Salty.
How are ya, boys?
Salty!
Are you hurt?
We're okay.
Do you have air?
Yes.
Do you have water?
Yes.
Are you in the cutty?
No, we're still in the basket.
What's your most immediate need?
Get us the fuck out.
Hello.
Todd and Brant are alive.
Pat, please repeat that.
Todd and Brant are alive.
You found Todd and
Brant, and they are alive.
They're alive.
Thrilled to bits, can't believe it.
Whole of Beaconsfield's been
praying for this to happen,
and God's answered us.
Thanks, oh Lord, cause I live
Sunshine down on your sweet head
I always thought I was the one
Cause I live next door
to the mid-day sun
Packed yourself in?
I will.
I always thought I was the one
It's unbelievable, isn't it?
I'm so excited, you'd think
it was my dad out there.
How can they still be alive?
It's great news.
Hi Lauren.
Hi.
I'm so sorry about your father.
Everyone liked him.
He was a gentleman.
Thank you.
I'm here in the space you made
Lights that begin to fade
Just fall back the pain
He was standing right there you guys,
and that, my friends, is why
you shouldn't catch crabs.
Out there, everybody.
To me old mate, I knew
he could talk underwater,
but I didn't know he could see under rock.
Cheers to that.
Cheers.
Hey.
It's a miracle.
You all right?
The town's celebrating.
One giant party in Beaconsfield.
It's wonderful news.
What is it?
Those men are alive right now,
but what if we kill them?
All right, these are the
options we've come up with.
Obviously, some appear
more feasible than others.
Regardless of how likely an option is,
I want us to prepare for each one.
Each of you will be allocated
at least one option.
Obviously one through four
will be our primary focus,
but I want preparations on
five through 20 to be online.
We never know when an
option's gonna end up.
Our guarding principle is no longer
access the site safely,
it's keep them alive.
All right, that's it, let's go.
I went in.
I had to sneak down,
because Pat doesn't want me in the ground.
How far did you get?
I didn't get to the boys.
It's pretty unstable.
I didn't want to risk causing
any more rocks to fall on them.
There's stuff falling from above as well.
I think it might be possible
to reinforce the roof
enough to make it safe for
a rescue team to get in.
And if we can get to
the cutty near the boys,
we might be able to get to them that way.
They don't want anyone going in, mate.
No, they don't want to
know that anyone's going.
Are you Trevor Cheesy?
All too well.
Listen, I think it might be best
if you take a few days off.
I'm not.
No, what I mean, it's
time for you to go home.
We'll call you when we
need you back at work.
Fair enough.
Is somebody up there?
It's somebody, Chris.
I'm actually right above you.
I can see your light.
I've got to cut this
mesh to get you boys out.
Do it.
Do whatever you have to do.
Stop, stop.
Stop, don't do anything.
I won't touch it, mate.
It's a fucking time bomb in here, man.
You all right?
Yeah.
Here's water and some biscuits.
I don't think I can get
you out this way right now.
Well, what's the plan, I mean,
what are they doing up there?
They're gonna drill
through to where you are,
put in a communication chute
so they can talk to you about what
they're going to do next.
Don't worry.
We'll get you out.
I'm going to go tell them
upstairs what I've seen, okay?
Mate, you tell them,
we got to come out now.
It's bad in here, man.
My leg's fucked.
And there's stuff raining
down on us all the time.
We're going to be buried alive.
What?
We're gonna get you out.
You gotta try something else.
Can you dig through the side?
You can get us out that way.
Okay?
I need a different tool.
Well just have a go.
Just dig with your hands.
You tell us where you're digging from,
and we'll dig from this end.
Okay, sure,
but I want to go and talk
to everyone else first.
Don't leave us.
I reckon you can get us out.
Do you hear me?
I can't do that there, mate.
I need other people to get you out.
I promise you, we will get you home.
Are you going to come back?
I need some help to get you out.
Oh no, wait, come back.
Just come back.
Tell us what's going on.
Make sure you come back
so we know what's going on.
Okay.
Wait, wait.
Chris.
Chris.
They'll come back.
All right?
They won't leave us, now
that they know we're here.
What you did was foolhardy
and it was selfish.
I did it because...
Did you give them any food?
Yes, some teddy bear biscuits.
You should've had more sense.
Those boys haven't eaten for six days.
Their bodies will be
completely out of whack,
and the wrong food will
cause some real damage.
All right, I didn't realize.
No, of course, you didn't realize,
because you're thinking why the hell
don't they go down there and get them?
Don't you think that's
what I would love to do?
Just go down there, be a bloody hero,
and get them out?
But I'm not going to,
because I'm not going to
lose another man on this job.
I am not going to go
and tell someone's wife
or mother that they're dead.
Now tell me this.
Can we get them out that way?
A Pelican peaker, couple of hours,
two experienced miners.
They can do it.
All right.
I think perhaps a teddy
bear biscuit entree.
Followed by a miracle,
another teddy bear biscuit.
Think about three should do the trick.
But what should I have for dessert?
Hm.
Aye.
One of these.
May I offer you one of mine?
Thank you.
Hello, Richard.
How was Beaconsfield?
You're about to find out.
Oh no, no, no, no.
Beaconsfield does not
need more journalists.
Mate, it's a huge story.
You need to be there.
You know won't be happy,
unless I manage to get down the mine,
into the basket with the two boys.
Anything less than that,
he'll be vying for blood.
So when are we leaving?
In an hour.
Well, I'll see you at the airport.
What's wrong?
It's my guts.
They killing me.
You had a lot of those biscuits.
Did you turn your lamp on?
No.
What are you saying?
I can't understand.
You all right?
Larry?
This media stuff is a waste of my time.
60 Minutes have just
asked for an interview.
Tell them no.
I told them that.
Bill Shorten's outside.
I haven't got time to speak to him.
Why don't you get Bill
to do the press releases?
It'll free you up and
keep him off your back.
He's good at it, and you know Bill,
he'll never run from a camera.
They are wedged under
massive tons of rocks.
They are blocked off from rescuers again
by massive tons of hard rock.
This is gonna take a lot
of effort to get them out.
It will not be a 48-hour operation.
I want someone to go in
the way Chris did and assess the space.
See if we can make it safe enough
to send in a team of rescuers.
Okay.
You don't have to.
Okay, I want to.
Hey, it's me.
It's pretty desperate.
Okay.
No.
I'm fine, I'm.
It's all fine.
I just wanted to hear your voice.
I love you, Trace.
I gotta go.
Can you kiss Lucky and Calen for me?
Right.
Tell me about Liam.
He's a good boy.
Likes to do what I do.
Races around pretending
he's a miner digging holes,
making a mess.
Not bad with a footy.
He's a good kid.
I almost played professional football,
but I didn't make it.
But Liam has what it
takes to go all the way.
He sticks with stuff.
He keeps at it until he gets it right.
I hope I get to grab hold
of that little bugger again,
I won't let him go.
I won't let any of them go.
It's Chris, we're back.
We've got some supplies
to pass down there.
No more teddy bear
biscuits, thanks, mate.
No worries.
Pass us the bag, mate.
There's another one.
Who's with you?
Might be best not to say,
not telling many people about this trip.
G'day, Pat.
G'day, Todd.
Hey guys, what's the story?
How come you're sending
so much stuff down?
How long you planning to
leave us down here for?
Mate, we're just being extra cautious.
That's all.
We're gonna get you out.
How's Larry?
Hey, guys, I want you to fight
for yourself and be strong.
We'll get you out of here.
We got a lot of people working on it.
So is Larry okay?
Not sure.
Well, is he injured?
No, Larry didn't make it.
Found the body a few days ago.
Thanks, Pat.
Hey, Pat.
We make the front page of the paper?
Mate, I think you made the front page
of the New York Times.
You reckon you get me a copy
of Saturday's Examiner?
What for?
I want to look at the job section.
You can stick this one up your ass.
You doing okay?
It's all good.
Hello.
What's the issue?
General suspicion.
I'm waiting on one more go from the AWU
to return my call.
Beaconsfield mine is a
major employer in this town.
Perhaps we're not being discreet enough
in our approaches.
They don't want to lose their jobs.
If the mining's doing something dodgy,
someone will talk about it.
We just have to work out
how to get them to talk.
No one is going to
want to speak to camera.
They don't have to.
I can do that for them.
All I need is for someone
to tell us the truth
of what's going on in that mine.
Completely off the record.
No filming, no taping.
Even if I can get someone to speak to us,
we can't blame the mine
management for an earthquake.
That's just bad luck.
Now Howard, can I
borrow your handkerchief?
Did you know, this is
a magic handkerchief?
No, I didn't know that, Richard.
Well, it is, but I am going
to need your assistance.
Can you blow on this, please?
Magic.
I thought Larry was here to help us.
Right.
I thought he was
orchestrating the whole thing.
Now we find out he was
dead from the get-go.
His boy is just a few months old.
I wonder if he died straightaway,
or if he was trapped like us.
What difference does it make?
You can't save the boys that way.
It's too dangerous.
Chris seemed pretty confident
we could get in that way.
No, there's no way of removing the mesh.
I don't even know why Chris
thought it was possible,
because it's not.
Cut that mesh, we'll kill them.
You all right?
Yeah.
We'll find another way in.
I want God to give them strength,
to guide them, to lead them.
And I know he will.
So just pull them out.
It's not as easy as that.
Well, it must be.
If Chris can talk to them,
and pass things to them,
why can't you just pull them out?
Chris crawled through here,
into the rock fall, right inside it,
and he reached down through mesh,
that bit of mesh when across
the top of the rock fall,
up the side, and over Chris.
If you cut the mesh, it will collapse,
causing rock to come
crashing down on the boys.
But Chris was so close to them.
I know, and I know it's frustrating,
but pulling them out
the way Chris went in is
more than just a risk.
It will kill them.
It's all right.
It's getting closer.
Where the fuck is this
drill going to come in?
Is it above us?
Jesus.
Jesus, nearly speared us.
You nearly drilled right through us,
you fucking dunce.
Did I toe it?
Bloody hell.
Personally, I don't see us being able
to dig under the telehandler.
What if we get a road hitter?
We get through the last
15 meters with that.
We'll need to check
its rate of vibration.
My memory is that they create
a hell of a lot of rattle.
That's the last thing we need.
What about Raise borer?
They're the Ferrari boring equipment.
No, they're just zoned
to be used vertically.
We'd have to use it horizontally.
It's not supposed to be used like that,
like driving your Ferrari upside down.
But do you think it can work?
We can find out.
Put one there.
All right, all
right, just build the tunnel.
All right.
It's broken.
Put your hand in.
Yes, I am.
Ow.
It's a bit broke, but yeah,
I think you can get stuff through.
We'll see what we can get through.
Might take a while.
Thanks for that.
You don't sweat if I...
Mate, you saw what I was doing.
I was moving rocks.
It's not my fault it's broken.
It is your fault.
It's 100% fault.
We're gonna move some rocks,
so they get a clear run out.
It's broken.
God, I'm stuck in the
laziest prison in Australia.
Some one like you won't
even help clear a space
for a tube that's gonna keep us alive.
Don't turn that on me.
I blame it on you
because it's your fault.
- No, it's not.
- Oh really?
Will you shut up for a minute?
Can I have a minute's break
from your whingeing fucking voice.
Oh, you're a prick, Todd.
I'm sorry.
People don't like those new songs
They ain't colored like gold
I like a hippie down main
When my baby starts to step in
Well I don't know what to do
I get a longing to hear
Hank sing the blues
Well I get a longing to
hear Hank sing the blues
Every time I think I'm losing you
When my baby said goodbye
Well I hung my head and cried
And I get a longing to
hear Hank sing the blues
He's giving himself a tattoo.
You're giving yourself a tattoo.
I'll do it for you.
Give me the needle.
Not in a million fucking years.
Stop staring at me.
You put me off.
You're shitting me.
It's hard,
because Todd lives locally, obviously.
He's got a dog that is
incredibly loyal to him,
and Todd's dog is actually
every day at dawn...
I'll just grab you these things.
- Mom?
- Yeah?
Dogs are at the mine again.
Those idiot reporters keep feeding them.
Turn the telly off, please.
Thanks.
Come here, I want to show you something.
Where we going now?
I tried to dig Dad
out, but it didn't work.
Can you go down to the mines
and bring my daddy back to me?
Do my best.
You dickhead.
Next time I won't even be slowing down.
Pass me the phone, will you?
Hey, can I please have some water?
We got none left.
All right.
What the fuck is this?
Why they send us up
half a bottle of water?
Why are sending us up
half a bottle of water?
You're doing nothing else down there,
and what, you're too lazy to
fill up a bottle of water?
I don't care what the fucking dietitian.
Listen here, fuckwit, if I get outta here,
I'm going to smash your fucking head in.
Now send me up a bottle of water.
What am I supposed to do with this?
What, what am I supposed to
drink me own piss, you idiot?
Now just send me up a
fucking bottle of water.
You're not supposed to let me get upset.
Well, I'm upset,
and I ain't drinking any more of that
fucking oxygen.
You send any more of that, and I swear,
you better send up a gun,
because I'll blow out my fucking brains.
No water.
Six, five, four, three, two, one.
Thank you, Todd.
Oh, you're welcome, Brant.
So tell me about the
earthquake that happened
on ANZAC day.
Well, we've had a few of them.
This wasn't the first.
You get a few of them around here.
It's not around here.
It's in the mine.
What do you mean?
The mining causes the earthquake.
It's not some natural event.
There's always forces operating in rock.
If you take away the rock,
the forces are still there.
So what they're calling
an earthquake isn't
a natural phenomenon.
It's caused by over-mining.
If they'd mine what they're supposed to
and stop trying to cut corners to get
as much gold as they
could out of this mine,
they wouldn't have
caused the seismic event.
And those three boys
wouldn't have been buried.
Thank you very much, gentlemen.
Yeah, there've been a bit of a delay.
Yeah, well, the Raise
borer's down, ready to bore,
but we've realized that we
need something to sit it on.
So what does that mean?
It means we're going to have pull it out
and pour a slab.
Jesus bloody Christ.
Are you kidding?
And get us some cigarettes.
Chris, what's going on?
You said 48 hours.
Well, your families
are sending some clothes.
I'll send them up now.
I'm joined now
by Brant Webb's daddy, John.
John, a very good morning to you.
Thank you for being with us.
He's doing all right down there, yeah?
He's high-spirited, and they're saying
that he's physically well.
Obviously, he's tougher than his dad.
Waking up in the morning's the worst.
That's the worst.
It's constantly on your mind.
When you wake up, there it is.
Work on the main
rescue tunnel hasn't started yet.
Specialized boring
equipment, which pulverizes
rock into pebbles and
dust has to be anchored
first in concrete before it can cut
what is essentially a manhole.
It's slow-going, but much safer
than blasting and drilling.
The trapped men now know that the drilling
of this rescue tunnel
will be a slow process.
They've also been told
of the risk involved
as this rock crunching
drill inches towards them.
Get me out of here, Rachel.
Hello, Beaconsfield mine.
Yeah, look, I'm just ringing to tell you
that we're all really
concerned about the guys
down in the mine, and you know,
we're thinking of them.
We hope everything works out.
Thank you.
And can you let them know that?
Yes, I'll pass it on.
You know, we're praying for them.
Yes, we all are.
Thank you.
Hello, Beaconsfield mine.
I was wondering if I could speak
to somebody about donation?
Yeah, you can speak to me.
Yeah, I'm Dennis Raymond,
and I actually sell Winnebagos,
and I hear you're having
trouble with accommodation
and all the extra people coming into town.
Yes, we are, because the press have taken
every spare hotel room
within 200 kilometers.
Really?
Look, I'd like to bring around a couple
of Winnebagos just for people to sleep in,
you know, at no cost.
That's very generous, thank you.
No problem.
Hello, Beaconsfield mine.
Hi, can I speak to
someone in charge of the rescue?
You can speak to me.
Are you familiar
with those ejector seats?
You know the ones that
the fighter pilots use?
You know when they're like bombing things
and they go over the.
Where were you last ANZAC day?
When was ANZAC day, Howard?
Tuesday, last Tuesday.
Geeze, I must've pulled
a muscle or something.
My calf is really sore.
Have you seen my phone?
Howard, I don't know why
you bother having a phone.
I haven't lost it.
It's here somewhere.
Think of this.
Where were you last ANZAC
day, last Tuesday, a week?
Because it's since then the
two have been down there.
Let me ask you another question.
What caused this disaster?
Well, we all know the answer.
An earthquake, wasn't it?
No, it wasn't.
No, my good man, it wasn't.
No, no, no.
I can't hold it in, mate.
No, you are going to hold it in.
Can you send me a plastic bag?
All right.
Have to make sure the bag's on.
No.
Urinate.
Bloody hell, how big a crap
are you planning to do?
You're going to have to help me.
I'm not having anything to do with it,
for fuck's sake, hold it in.
What do you think I'm doing?
Can you send us up some packing tape?
I gotta tape this bag to me bum.
Oh, god.
You are filthy.
This is disgusting.
Have you finished it?
That is a relief.
You're not leaving
that bloody bag in here.
I'm not sending it down the tube.
Food comes out of there.
What if it breaks?
Get that bag out of here.
It's making me sick.
All right.
What is this?
That, my friend, is shit.
It's more reporters.
They want to interview the dog.
What?
They want to interview Holly.
They're not serious.
I think they are, mum.
Yeah, sure, they can talk to the dog
as long as they want.
Drilling of the escape
tunnel is now finished.
Framing is short from that tiny cave.
There's still plenty of work to do.
Their mates will have to break through,
to file past the hard rock.
Nice fly.
My little lie.
Something beginning with.
Rock?
- Too short.
- Yes.
Mate, I'm not really making a dent here.
Think we're going to have
to get an in here.
Man needs an LE drill to get through.
I was fixing to eat your sandwich.
They melted the cheese.
I hate melted cheese.
I mean, what idiot would do that?
Can't eat it now.
Yeah, okay, go ahead.
Stop the boring, stop the boring!
Stop, stop.
We're not going to be able
to drill our way through.
It's hardest rock I've ever seen.
The explosive guys from
Stihl reckon they can get
through the rock and create about as
half as much vibration as a drill.
No way, no way.
You're not blasting
when we're a meter away.
Are they serious?
They've already tried to blow us up.
Once enough, we need a second shot.
They're very low impact.
We've been testing them
for the past few days,
and I think it's going to
cause a lot less travel.
It might cause you a lot less travel.
What about us?
We're not keen.
I don't know what to say.
I can't see any other way forward.
Tell them we'll do one.
One round.
Did you hear that?
We'll do one round.
And then we reassess.
Unless of course they're
blowing our brains out.
I'll one round.
We'll keep you informed
every step of the way, okay?
Ready to go?
I never worked with
these explosives before.
Never been used in this mine.
And they've never been
fired this close to two men.
Here I am on this phone
convincing those two blokes
that it's our best option.
I want to be kept across each firing,
and I want the vibration
result from each one.
It doesn't matter how
this explosive guy assures
you things are, I just want it checked.
If anything's gonna
cause another rock fall,
it'll be this.
The question is, are you sure
you can get through to the space.
We are as confident as we can be,
given that we are doing
something that is quite unique.
We have other drill options
and rock-breaking options.
Mr. Gill, on the 26th
of October last year,
not 10 meters from where
these men are now entombed,
you had a 400-ton rock fall.
Why is it?
Is it the strength of the scene,
or the wealth of the scene,
that you continue to send men into work
in such a dangerous environment?
My focus is on
recovering these two chaps.
That has been my only focus.
In terms of what happened and why,
that will come later.
Howard, found your phone.
Oh, where did you find, Richard, Richard.
You the explosives guy?
Yeah, yeah, go ahead.
You're not going to kill us, are you?
Mate, these explosives,
they'll make a big bang,
but they don't really
cause much of a shake.
This type of hard rock is,
well, it's exactly what they love.
I want to countdown myself.
I want to know exactly
when you're going to fire.
Okay, mate, okay, you do it.
I'll come back when we're ready.
I'm going to countdown now.
We're ready for you.
Three,
two,
one.
Fire.
Are you there, Todd?
You fucking pussies.
My shotgun makes more noise than that.
Thank you.
One down.
You're hot, would you
like a drink of water?
Feeling pretty warm actually.
Easy.
- Lie on the floor.
- Yeah.
Tiny.
You're all right to go home,
but you've had an unusual ECG,
so if you can see your
GP in the next few days.
Okay.
Thanks.
There's news
in from Launcestown just now.
Perhaps you've already heard,
that Richard Carleton collapsed earlier
at the mine site.
Doctors now confirm that Richard is dead.
Our dear friend and
colleague at Channel 9,
Richard Carleton has passed away.
I'm very sorry to say
that's now been verified
by the hospital emergency room.
Three, two, one.
Fire!
Fire!
Fire!
Fire.
Fire!
Fire!
Fire.
You want a?
How many firings have you blokes done?
You all right?
It's me knees, mate.
They're killing me.
You crawl up and down that tunnel.
Can you keep going?
What choice do I got?
I'm not going to leave them in there.
Every time I be firing,
my heart's in my mouth.
I don't want to be the one...
Hey, hey, hey, just
concentrate on the job.
That's all.
Don't look either way.
Just on the job.
We're ready for you.
Okay.
Bill, is it too soon
to say the rescuers are
now within arm's reach?
I'm afraid it's too soon to say that.
They've still got to go up
about a meter and a half of complex rock,
hard rock, soft rock,
but what I do know is that
the progress keeps continuing.
And I think that we need to take
a leaf out of the book of the families
of Todd and Brant and just be patient.
I believe everything's
being done that can be done.
Is this the most
dangerous meter and a half?
And if you've got in your range,
wait until you see what's coming up next.
The distance between
here and here is 300 mills.
We drill from here to here,
and that gets us through to the boys.
I don't think that's right.
That rock's not supported.
If you drill through there,
it'll all come crashing down.
Bullshit.
Well, I don't think you're right, Brett.
If you're wrong, we're in trouble.
I agree with Peter.
You're planning to drill
through unsupported rock.
No, I'm not, see?
What you're failing to.
I need a fucking pen
that works in this place.
Okay, all right.
We're all tired.
We need to know if the survey
is right or if it's wrong.
If it's right, we will drill Pat's way.
If it's wrong, it's Peter's.
Yes.
Thank you.
Survey's correct.
We're going with option one.
So who was right?
I don't remember.
You know how long that took?
Four bloody hours.
Four hours to make a decision
that should have been
made in five minutes.
Doesn't matter how long it takes, Pat.
It just matters that we
make the right decision.
You know I'm the one that sent those boys
down there in the first place.
I used to sometimes go and see
Larry and discuss our boys.
My Calen and his little
fellow are the same age.
He was a gentleman.
Yeah.
Okay.
They need you down below.
Word had gone out
that the rescue was imminent
at 2:30 a.m., the magic time.
By late evening, more
than 100 people had braved
the foul weather.
He's strong and determined,
and yes, get them up here.
How are we
that they're coming up,
sooner than I anticipated.
There was a party atmosphere
after nearly two weeks of tension.
Celebration was tantalizingly close.
I got a couple of.
It'll be good.
Pretty excited, you all happy?
Are you all staying here
until the men come out?
Who is it?
Be right back with wood,
build it further around.
We've got the green light.
You're coming out first, Brant.
Why him?
Oh, didn't you resign about a week ago?
Employees out first, mate.
All right, let's go.
You'll be all right, mate.
They'll be straight back for you.
See you, my friend.
Yeah.
Todd, ready to go?
We can only assume that the men are
on this elevator.
As Bill said, is it an incredibly
historic moment, you know.
It is history in the making.
No one has ever done this before.
And so it's a unique operation,
and this survival story,
what a survival story.
Are these guys gonna come out of the cage
and walk into history?
They're going to see their families.
They're going to walk into history.
Their lives are never
going to be the same,
but thank God, they're alive.
We're not getting wheeled out.
We're walking out.
It's slowing.
Here they come.
Here they come.
Dim your little light on down
Dim your little light on down
Dim your little light he said
Now is the needed time,
oh now is the needed time
Now is the needed time
Lord have mercy on me
Lord have mercy on me
Lord have mercy on me
Now is the needed time
Oh, now is the needed time
Now is the needed time
Brant.
Really?
Stop it.
Are you really asleep?
Oh, who's that?
It's Daddy.
Hi.
Hello.
How's my beautiful boy?
Oh, did you have a good night?
Not so good.
Go back to bed sweetheart.
Really?
Yeah, go on, have a rest.
Thank you.
I think he's done a poo.
Fantastic.
Liam, I'm sleeping, get out of here.
No, I want you to play with me.
Carolyn!
Come on, Liam.
Your dad's sleeping.
I'm not bloody sleeping!
Come on, come have some breakfast.
I'm not hungry.
Sh.
It's bloody cold.
Come on, Dad, toughen up.
Gonna head over to.
Have a look around there.
Aren't you doing some family photos?
I don't know.
Cat will organize some bloody thing.
It'll be good.
You go, then.
Happy wife, happy life.
What were you saying?
Brant?
Yeah.
You should get the fish on.
Hey.
Should come out on the weekend with us.
Take the boat out.
There's so much fish around.
Not like Queensland, far
from the catch out there.
Was it too many fishermen?
No fisherman, bloody walled off.
Mate, I was up there once, right,
on the Normandy River.
I was collecting my crabs, right.
There've got to be 800 in
the back of the dinghy, okay.
All of a sudden, there's this smash
on the side of the boat,
and there's this bloody big crocodilly,
doing just a bit of that, huh?
This thing's like 30 foot long, serious.
It was like big enough
to swallow me whole,
and that, my friends, is
just one of the reasons
why you do not want to catch crabs.
Rach.
Come on, don't worry about the dishes.
Come in.
All right, let me clean up first.
Oh, clean up later, come on.
Come on.
You can do it later.
It's hot.
Oh, do I detect you may want to.
What, out here?
Yeah, it wouldn't be the first time.
It would be a first time with me.
That's rubbish.
We've done it out here before.
I haven't.
No?
Who am I thinking of?
I'm just kidding.
I've spent some days thinking
'bout the pleasures you take
How minutes spent waiting
were our steps closer to fate
Time took its way in the
failure that we always made
Time had its way in the
loving of leaving we've laid
Would you play for Collingwood, Dad?
Nah, mate, it was
Carleton who's after me.
The Blues, why didn't you play for them?
I wouldn't have.
He was good enough.
He just didn't like the training.
Why?
All right, what do
you want for your crib?
I'm not going, gonna call in sick.
Todd, if you're going to call in sick,
can you get on with it?
Because I'm making rice.
Otherwise the kids and I'll have pasta.
Ah, stuff it.
I imagine we'll go in.
Hey Trent, when you gonna
make me one of them bracelets?
Everybody else has got one.
I don't know.
Get in, Phil, you got
to the end of the 980,
and finish what you were doing last night.
John, Trent, you go with him.
Ready plate the old cable box,
and head down to the 1080 level,
and begin prepping the area for blasting.
Mick, you're on the SEMA.
Brant, ready you go down
with Todd to the 925 West.
No, I'm not doing stone work.
I thought you said I wasn't
going to get down again.
Do me a favor.
I promise you'll be in air tops.
I'll get you out of there
and up to the factory plant.
Yeah, all right.
But only because you're a good bloke.
The rest of you know what you're doing.
All right, you wanna pick up the gear
or you want to drive the telehandler.
The telehandler, I reckon.
All right.
Meet you down there.
Yeah.
What'd you do with my rook?
I didn't touch it.
Yes, you did.
I wouldn't leave my
pawn exposed like that.
- I don't know.
- Not my problem, mate.
Pricks.
Which one of you bastards took my rook?
I will kick your ass
from here to eternity.
Come on, let's get going everyone.
- Checkmate.
- He's dropping.
Weather upset you, Brant?
Don't say that, mate.
It's never gonna happen.
Let's go, go, move it.
G'day.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
We don't have enough mesh.
Larry, haven't got enough mesh, mate.
Can you grab some for us?
Yeah, better let you
down while I go get it.
Nah, we'll be all right, mate.
It'll only be a couple secs here.
Hey, Larry.
Chuck up me water bottle.
Thank you.
What's that, what is it,
Pirates of the Caribbean?
You seen it?
Nope.
It's bloody hilarious.
So I'm going to...
Oh.
All men back to the crib room immediately.
All men back to the crib room immediately.
Every man copy me, please.
Yeah, Dick here.
Buddy here.
Yo, copy that, Mark and James here.
Chuck out here.
Two here.
Casiron, mate, everyone's fine here.
Johnny on the 18 here.
I'll call it in.
Get the ambulance organized.
Larry, can you hear me, Larry?
Todd, Larry, Brant, please respond.
Matthew Gill.
G'day, Matthew, it's Rex here.
There's been a rock fall at the mine.
I don't know, mate.
Go down and get started.
What do you know?
Not much.
I'm still heading down there myself.
Is anyone injured?
We're not sure at this point,
but not everyone's accounted for.
Carolyn speaking.
It's Brenda.
There's been a seismic at the mine.
We need Todd to come in as
part of the rescue team.
No, he, Todd's, he's at the mine.
He's on a shift tonight.
Brenda.
I'm so sorry.
- I have to go, Carolyn.
- What?
Rex needs me to get the team together,
but I'll call you back.
Yeah, okay.
Been a rock fall at the mine.
Was Dad in it?
I don't know.
Pat, it's Matthew.
What's happening there?
There's three men missing.
I'm not sure how everyone else is.
It's not a drill?
It's not a drill.
A room at the council
chambers is being set up
for the families.
I'm working on a meeting release,
which ideally we should get out
in the next couple of hours.
When can you get that to me?
Within an hour.
Man the phones, prepare for an onslaught.
He parked.
Who?
Todd, Larry, and Webby,
they're working in the west side.
All right, I'm going in.
I'll be quick.
Pat.
Todd, Webby, hello.
Boys, call out to me.
Make a sound if you can hear me.
Larry.
Todd, Webby, hello.
There's a telehandler under there.
Must be.
You know what, they're fucked.
Three guys were halfway along 925 west,
working in the telehandler about here.
Now that's just a guess,
because there's no sign of
them or the telehandler.
It's just a bloody great pile of rock,
more than a thousand ton.
Now Cheesy was down there
three minutes before the fall,
and said that Larry was
in the driver's seat,
and Todd and Brant were in the basket.
So Todd and Brant
were completely exposed.
Exactly.
Our only hope is for Larry.
The cab of the telehandler
is falling object protected.
Sure, it's not designed
to withstand 1,000 ton,
but there's a chance
Larry might still be alive
and trapped in the cab.
All right, I hope we're
not buried very far.
How's your leg?
Can't feel it.
It's like it's not there.
It's the buggery.
Are there any side spaces down there,
any cutties they could've taken refuge in
if they'd had some warning?
No, there's no side space down there.
The best chance of survival
is the telehandler driver.
That's who we should try to get to.
Except you can't send any men in.
There's a hell of a lot
rock to get through,
and it's popping.
It's cracking at the moment.
It's horrible down there.
You'll be risking more lives.
What about using a police
tracking vehicle, the Cyclops?
They don't like it wet much,
and there's a lot of water down there.
Could we dig them out remotely?
Maybe, but we don't know
exactly where they are,
so we don't know where to dig.
And any digging is perilous.
It's likely to dislodge more rocks
and start another rock fall.
So you'd have to use a Tele-remote Bogger.
Who has one?
Some of the west coast mines have them.
Find one tonight.
Jesus.
What have we did?
Hey, John McGinny.
It keeps going through my
head over and over and over.
I hope they went fast.
It might've ever.
We don't know.
You done that airflow
when you already did.
Help!
Help!
Larry!
Larry!
William!
Can anyone hear me?
Is anyone there?
Hello!
Brant.
Don't do anymore.
How is it?
It's not going to be too bad.
It's just, just a few scratches.
You thirsty, mate?
Yeah.
All right.
Oh hell, it was rank.
I reckon fuel.
Hang on, mate, okay.
Help!
Help!
What's wrong?
There's been a rock fall at the mine.
Is Brant all right?
At this stage, he's missing.
Most people wouldn't have felt the minor
earth tremor that brushed the town
of Beaconsfield in Tasmania last night,
but the tremor was just enough to cause
an underground rock fall
at the town's gold mine,
nearly one kilometer underground.
Three miners were immediately
cut off from the surface.
Melissa LeWine is a reporter
from ABC's Launceston office,
and she's at Beaconsfield
and joins us now.
Melissa, has there been
any contact with the men
since the rock fall occurred?
I was unaware, that no, at this stage,
there hasn't been, you know.
The family and residents
and the mines have raised
concerns about the well-being
of these workers because of that.
So you know that Dad's been
in an accident in the mine?
Can he dig his way out?
He's probably trying to right now.
Could Dad die?
Dad won't die.
Dad's tough.
That's right, Daddy's tough.
So we have to be very strong while Rex
and his team, you know, try to find him.
Yeah?
Will he be home for tea?
Well, he might be.
It might just take a little
bit longer than that.
An extensive search
and rescue operation is
now underway.
The side of the rock fall
is still extremely dangerous
and is preventing rescuers
from reaching the spot
where the miners are.
It is unknown at this time
whether the three men have
survived the rock fall.
As you would appreciate, we
are all extremely concerned
about what has happened.
We're doing whatever we
can to get to the three men
without putting the rescuers at risk.
As it has now been more than
15 hours since the collapse,
we hold grave fears for our colleagues.
A remote control earth mover equipped
with a camera is being prepared to descend
into the area to evaluate
the situation further.
They know where we are.
Larry would've told them.
We'll use the lamp when we have to.
We might really need a light later on.
I'm going to try and dig us out.
Hi, it's Lauren.
Yes.
When?
I'll try and get down today.
A major rescue operation is
underway in Tasmania tonight,
where a wall collapsed in.
An underground gold mine
has trapped three workers.
All today and overnight, search
and rescue crews have probed
every accessible area of
underground maze.
Battling dust and
hundreds of tons of loose
and broken rock, it's a race against time.
The families wait anxiously for news
from behind closed doors as
their rescue attempt continues
nearly a kilometer under
the earth's surface.
I'll stay awake.
What time is it?
I'm not sure.
I can, ten minutes.
Can you do that?
Yep.
It's past ten minutes.
Yeah?
Was that ten minutes?
Yeah, it was ten.
You sure?
I'm not sure.
I'm freezing.
I can't move.
What?
That will warm you up now.
C'mon mate, better?
There is a very somber mood
around the community today,
and it's going to take a lot of resilience
on behalf of all the
members of the community
to overcome this disaster.
And as you say, 30 hours has gone by,
so things are looking pretty grim.
Champion Country Footballer Todd Russell,
a father of three young children has lived
in the area his whole life.
The other two missing men, Brant Webb
and Larry Knight also live locally.
Mr. Knight's daughter
arrived from Brisbane
this afternoon to keep vigil.
- Hi.
- Hi.
We're through the bump.
They can't be far to the open side.
If I can get to there.
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.
We need to find ball cutters
or an ax or anything, okay?
Ball cutters in your tool bag.
What are you talking about?
Just have a look around you.
For what?
For something to cut with.
The fuck I can't see.
We got the on top.
Just help me.
Come on.
Help me.
Come on.
Dig it.
What the fuck is that?
What?
You been smoking?
Nah.
Bullshit, really?
Big deal.
What if I have?
I've been doing all the fucking work.
Cut it out.
I'm filling up with your
filthy fucking smoke.
Cut it out.
You know, I don't know if you noticed,
but right now, I'm trapped
a kilometer underground.
So I think I might wait until my life is
just a little less stressful.
Up to you.
Move over, you big bastard.
I gotta do a piss.
What?
Move your fucking johns.
Jesus.
Bloody hell.
Whoops.
The national interest surrounding
this story continues to grow,
and in news just heard, the bogger,
which is being used to dig out the buried
miners has starter motor problems,
which will cause even further delays
in what's become a drawn-out process.
Hi, do you know if there are
starter motor problems with the bogger?
Yes, there are.
It came through on the radio.
And it's just been reported on the TV.
The media are monitoring our radios,
the fucking bastards,
the last thing we need.
Ladies, keep your radio use to a minimum.
Nothing sensitive to be said,
or it'll end up on the fucking television.
The bogger's ready to go.
Right, right, let's go, let's move.
You want to check that load?
Yeah, go for it.
What's he looking for?
Bodies.
Do you like fishing?
No.
What about football?
Yes.
Used to play for the team Marquettes.
Is that how you fell?
Yes.
I felt my leg.
You got any kids?
Yeah.
Me too.
I got, you know, twins.
You must've started young.
Yeah.
We met at school, childhood sweethearts.
Yeah, me and Carolyn
met in school in Exeter.
How many kids you got?
Three.
Trent, Madison and Liam, he's four.
Is he a handful?
He's a bright little boy.
He loves the footy like his dad.
Hi, Cheesy.
Carolyn.
I have to tell you something.
Mom, can you put them in the back for me?
Sure.
You have to know what
it was like down there.
No.
If you saw what I saw.
There's no hope for survival.
No hope.
Just stop talking.
Why would you say that to me?
I don't want to listen
to this, so just go.
Carolyn.
I don't need you here, so go.
Just get out, get out.
Hey, what about a bit of muesli bar?
Hm?
Here.
I'm not having half.
Save the rest.
Kind of rough, mate.
Don't stuff yourself.
That's them right there.
We're here!
We're still alive.
We're still alive.
We're here!
We're here!
They're trying to move the telehandler.
If they do, we're dead.
Everything will come down on us.
We're here.
We're here.
Come and get us.
We're here.
We're here.
We're here.
Stop, stop!
The tunnel's gone.
It's collapsed.
They can't hear us.
They'll find us.
They're on their way.
You can push that stockpile up.
You'll fit a bit more in there.
Just fucking do it, Honky.
We better move.
Press conference is in five minutes.
Just getting my notes straight.
What?
They've found a body.
I'll call you back.
Who is it?
We're not sure.
Probably the driver, Larry Knight.
Leave the body where it is.
We'll get retrieval procedures in place.
I'll contact the families.
Just tell them we found a body.
We have to wait for formal confirmation
before we can release any names.
I'll talk to the press.
I'll say we're at a delicate
point in the rescue,
and you'll come out in a couple of hours.
Yeah, Bill, he's not available right now.
I'll have to get him to call you back.
It's Bill Shorten.
Get me the number of the
coroner's office, please.
I can't hear anyone.
I've been on a rescue team before.
I know how it works, mate.
Hey.
They're gonna get us out.
Any hopes of finding two miners alive
deep underground in Tasmania
are fading by the hour.
The body of one of the
three who were trapped
early yesterday was found this morning.
The somber faces of those who exited
the mine shaft this morning said it all.
They'd located one of
their fallen colleagues
in the most extraordinarily
difficult circumstances,
their boss confirming the worst.
At 7:22 this morning, one body was found
at the Beaconsfield mine site.
We've informed the families,
but we are unable to confirm the identity.
The Tasmanian
coroner has now taken control
of the investigation and was
at the site this afternoon.
Identity will be released as soon as
identity is confirmed.
We need to use disaster
victim identification
procedures for that.
The search for two others continues,
but hopes are fading.
Today it was revealed that
there are no safety chambers
in the shaft at 925 meters,
where the man's body was found.
They're not sure who that man is,
and they don't know if it's their father,
or if it's their brother
or if it's their husband.
Oh, excuse me.
Excuse me, sorry.
Excuse me, Rachel.
I'm sorry, but you can't take that stuff.
Why not?
We're going to need it for the coroner.
Well, they've identified the body,
and it's not Brant.
I know, but later on, they'll need it.
Well, they're not gonna need it later on,
because there is no later on.
Because my husband is alive.
We thought Larry was here
in the cab of the telehandler
at the time of the rock fall.
However, his body was found here,
behind the telehandler.
So Larry must've got
out of the telehandler
after he saw Cheesy, but
why would he do that?
Well, maybe he had some
warning of the rock fall
and was trying to run to somewhere safer?
So Todd and Brant would've
had the same warning
and could've run out
the other way, this way.
Yeah, but if they run out that way,
then they would've crawled over the top
of the telehandler by now.
What if there wasn't any warning?
Or what if, for some reason,
they couldn't get out of the basket?
Then they're still there.
So how do we get to them?
There's a possible entry by the 915.
Nah, I've been down there,
and there's no way through.
Could we get to them from
here, from the decline?
The only way you get
through there is by blasting.
I can't see another choice.
We'll have to blast our way in.
I think it's the only way.
Do you accept the blasting
of the basket will terminate
the reason for our rescue?
It won't be a rescue anymore.
It'll be body retrieval.
We'll get halfway and
then we'll probe for life.
Show me another way through, Rex,
and I'll happily do it.
At this stage, it's our only option.
You're not treating this like a rescue.
Yes, we are.
No, you're not.
How far away do you usually
stand when blasting goes on?
How far?
Probably a couple hundred meters.
Then why are you blasting ten meters
from where Brant might be?
We're trying to get to them
the best way we can.
Brant's not dead.
I know he's not.
He's alive, and you're
supposed to keep him that way.
I've forgotten how bad it is.
I haven't.
Can you hear that?
No.
Yes, you can.
It's machinery.
It's the rescue.
I keep getting specimens in my legs.
So do I.
Keep them moving.
Work on the new tunnel is progressing.
We have to drive a tunnel 36 meters long
and about 4.5 meters high and wide.
Just because you can't see much going on
up here doesn't mean that
nothing is happening.
The first lot of blast holes have
already been drilled in preparation.
Safety is paramount.
The biggest issue is seismicity,
and we're therefore planning
for worst-case stress scenario,
but we cannot rush this.
We cannot risk more lives.
Thank you.
What time is it?
Almost 2:00.
Are you having pain?
Don't hurt.
What's the biggest piece of gold
you've ever seen down this mine?
Nothing to speak of.
Well, I once found a block,
about the size of a golf ball.
Where have you got that buried?
Nah, I was a good boy.
Chucked it in the grizzly.
It's that fucking rescue, mate.
Call out to rescue.
You can't think like that.
You know what just happened?
They're fucking blowing us up.
Settle down, or I swear to God,
I'm gonna give you a big
fat lip kiss on the mouth.
I mean it.
I'll lay one right on you.
I want to go back down there.
Cheesy, you're not going down.
You need a shift boss, put me on.
I'm not doing it, mate.
Come on, I reckon I know a way in.
You been through enough.
You're not going down,
and I'll ban you from
the site if I have to.
I want to get those boys out, Pat.
I want their families
to be able to bury them.
I know you do.
If you get out, and I die,
can you go see my family?
Yeah.
Yeah, I'll look out for them, mate.
They won't be alone.
Thanks.
I'll do the same for you.
Yeah.
Are lights on up there?
They're supposed to be rescuing us.
They must have a plan.
Never heard of anyone
blowing up survivors.
It's not much of a plan.
They're looking for dead bodies.
I hope you don't die.
I don't want to be stuck
in here with a dead body.
When I was a professional fisherman,
people used to shit
themselves on the boat.
I've pulled up on a couple.
You pull up on a boat,
and you look at the deck,
and you see this big, brown stain.
You get closer, and you see the body.
You see a gun.
Those bodies, they swell up.
They stink.
I wouldn't want to be
stuck in here with one.
Here.
10:30.
Still alive.
These have just come in.
There is a refuge gully down there.
Since when?
Well, obviously it went in
between this and the last one.
Where is it?
Here.
Right next to the telehandler.
So they might've run there.
Well, they might've.
Let's go down.
Well, you know you're
not to go to the 925.
It's still very dangerous
and unpredictable down there.
No worries, mate.
I wouldn't go there.
It's blasting off the other wall.
Over there's, the LV.
It's gone backed it out of the way
by piercing the fuel tank.
That's why you can smell diesel.
That your finger?
No.
Good.
I don't know any of their songs.
Okay, I'm not giving up yet.
How about the Foo Fighters?
The Food Fighters?
You can't be serious.
You've never heard of the Foo Fighters?
No.
Do you ever turn your radio on?
When we're at Lake Flannigan.
Oh, hell.
Do you know "Spirit of the High Country"?
No, I don't know.
"The Gambler"?
No.
- Do you know...
- Yeah, yeah, "The Gambler."
It's all because
You've got to know when to hold 'em
Know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away
Know when to run
You never count your money
When you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done
Hello?
Hello?
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done
- Shut up.
- You've got.
Shut up.
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
We're here!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello!
Hello, are there two of you?
- Yes.
- Yes.
It's me, Pat.
It's me with Salty.
G'day, Salty.
How are ya, boys?
Salty!
Are you hurt?
We're okay.
Do you have air?
Yes.
Do you have water?
Yes.
Are you in the cutty?
No, we're still in the basket.
What's your most immediate need?
Get us the fuck out.
Hello.
Todd and Brant are alive.
Pat, please repeat that.
Todd and Brant are alive.
You found Todd and
Brant, and they are alive.
They're alive.
Thrilled to bits, can't believe it.
Whole of Beaconsfield's been
praying for this to happen,
and God's answered us.
Thanks, oh Lord, cause I live
Sunshine down on your sweet head
I always thought I was the one
Cause I live next door
to the mid-day sun
Packed yourself in?
I will.
I always thought I was the one
It's unbelievable, isn't it?
I'm so excited, you'd think
it was my dad out there.
How can they still be alive?
It's great news.
Hi Lauren.
Hi.
I'm so sorry about your father.
Everyone liked him.
He was a gentleman.
Thank you.
I'm here in the space you made
Lights that begin to fade
Just fall back the pain
He was standing right there you guys,
and that, my friends, is why
you shouldn't catch crabs.
Out there, everybody.
To me old mate, I knew
he could talk underwater,
but I didn't know he could see under rock.
Cheers to that.
Cheers.
Hey.
It's a miracle.
You all right?
The town's celebrating.
One giant party in Beaconsfield.
It's wonderful news.
What is it?
Those men are alive right now,
but what if we kill them?
All right, these are the
options we've come up with.
Obviously, some appear
more feasible than others.
Regardless of how likely an option is,
I want us to prepare for each one.
Each of you will be allocated
at least one option.
Obviously one through four
will be our primary focus,
but I want preparations on
five through 20 to be online.
We never know when an
option's gonna end up.
Our guarding principle is no longer
access the site safely,
it's keep them alive.
All right, that's it, let's go.
I went in.
I had to sneak down,
because Pat doesn't want me in the ground.
How far did you get?
I didn't get to the boys.
It's pretty unstable.
I didn't want to risk causing
any more rocks to fall on them.
There's stuff falling from above as well.
I think it might be possible
to reinforce the roof
enough to make it safe for
a rescue team to get in.
And if we can get to
the cutty near the boys,
we might be able to get to them that way.
They don't want anyone going in, mate.
No, they don't want to
know that anyone's going.
Are you Trevor Cheesy?
All too well.
Listen, I think it might be best
if you take a few days off.
I'm not.
No, what I mean, it's
time for you to go home.
We'll call you when we
need you back at work.
Fair enough.
Is somebody up there?
It's somebody, Chris.
I'm actually right above you.
I can see your light.
I've got to cut this
mesh to get you boys out.
Do it.
Do whatever you have to do.
Stop, stop.
Stop, don't do anything.
I won't touch it, mate.
It's a fucking time bomb in here, man.
You all right?
Yeah.
Here's water and some biscuits.
I don't think I can get
you out this way right now.
Well, what's the plan, I mean,
what are they doing up there?
They're gonna drill
through to where you are,
put in a communication chute
so they can talk to you about what
they're going to do next.
Don't worry.
We'll get you out.
I'm going to go tell them
upstairs what I've seen, okay?
Mate, you tell them,
we got to come out now.
It's bad in here, man.
My leg's fucked.
And there's stuff raining
down on us all the time.
We're going to be buried alive.
What?
We're gonna get you out.
You gotta try something else.
Can you dig through the side?
You can get us out that way.
Okay?
I need a different tool.
Well just have a go.
Just dig with your hands.
You tell us where you're digging from,
and we'll dig from this end.
Okay, sure,
but I want to go and talk
to everyone else first.
Don't leave us.
I reckon you can get us out.
Do you hear me?
I can't do that there, mate.
I need other people to get you out.
I promise you, we will get you home.
Are you going to come back?
I need some help to get you out.
Oh no, wait, come back.
Just come back.
Tell us what's going on.
Make sure you come back
so we know what's going on.
Okay.
Wait, wait.
Chris.
Chris.
They'll come back.
All right?
They won't leave us, now
that they know we're here.
What you did was foolhardy
and it was selfish.
I did it because...
Did you give them any food?
Yes, some teddy bear biscuits.
You should've had more sense.
Those boys haven't eaten for six days.
Their bodies will be
completely out of whack,
and the wrong food will
cause some real damage.
All right, I didn't realize.
No, of course, you didn't realize,
because you're thinking why the hell
don't they go down there and get them?
Don't you think that's
what I would love to do?
Just go down there, be a bloody hero,
and get them out?
But I'm not going to,
because I'm not going to
lose another man on this job.
I am not going to go
and tell someone's wife
or mother that they're dead.
Now tell me this.
Can we get them out that way?
A Pelican peaker, couple of hours,
two experienced miners.
They can do it.
All right.
I think perhaps a teddy
bear biscuit entree.
Followed by a miracle,
another teddy bear biscuit.
Think about three should do the trick.
But what should I have for dessert?
Hm.
Aye.
One of these.
May I offer you one of mine?
Thank you.
Hello, Richard.
How was Beaconsfield?
You're about to find out.
Oh no, no, no, no.
Beaconsfield does not
need more journalists.
Mate, it's a huge story.
You need to be there.
You know won't be happy,
unless I manage to get down the mine,
into the basket with the two boys.
Anything less than that,
he'll be vying for blood.
So when are we leaving?
In an hour.
Well, I'll see you at the airport.
What's wrong?
It's my guts.
They killing me.
You had a lot of those biscuits.
Did you turn your lamp on?
No.
What are you saying?
I can't understand.
You all right?
Larry?
This media stuff is a waste of my time.
60 Minutes have just
asked for an interview.
Tell them no.
I told them that.
Bill Shorten's outside.
I haven't got time to speak to him.
Why don't you get Bill
to do the press releases?
It'll free you up and
keep him off your back.
He's good at it, and you know Bill,
he'll never run from a camera.
They are wedged under
massive tons of rocks.
They are blocked off from rescuers again
by massive tons of hard rock.
This is gonna take a lot
of effort to get them out.
It will not be a 48-hour operation.
I want someone to go in
the way Chris did and assess the space.
See if we can make it safe enough
to send in a team of rescuers.
Okay.
You don't have to.
Okay, I want to.
Hey, it's me.
It's pretty desperate.
Okay.
No.
I'm fine, I'm.
It's all fine.
I just wanted to hear your voice.
I love you, Trace.
I gotta go.
Can you kiss Lucky and Calen for me?
Right.
Tell me about Liam.
He's a good boy.
Likes to do what I do.
Races around pretending
he's a miner digging holes,
making a mess.
Not bad with a footy.
He's a good kid.
I almost played professional football,
but I didn't make it.
But Liam has what it
takes to go all the way.
He sticks with stuff.
He keeps at it until he gets it right.
I hope I get to grab hold
of that little bugger again,
I won't let him go.
I won't let any of them go.
It's Chris, we're back.
We've got some supplies
to pass down there.
No more teddy bear
biscuits, thanks, mate.
No worries.
Pass us the bag, mate.
There's another one.
Who's with you?
Might be best not to say,
not telling many people about this trip.
G'day, Pat.
G'day, Todd.
Hey guys, what's the story?
How come you're sending
so much stuff down?
How long you planning to
leave us down here for?
Mate, we're just being extra cautious.
That's all.
We're gonna get you out.
How's Larry?
Hey, guys, I want you to fight
for yourself and be strong.
We'll get you out of here.
We got a lot of people working on it.
So is Larry okay?
Not sure.
Well, is he injured?
No, Larry didn't make it.
Found the body a few days ago.
Thanks, Pat.
Hey, Pat.
We make the front page of the paper?
Mate, I think you made the front page
of the New York Times.
You reckon you get me a copy
of Saturday's Examiner?
What for?
I want to look at the job section.
You can stick this one up your ass.
You doing okay?
It's all good.
Hello.
What's the issue?
General suspicion.
I'm waiting on one more go from the AWU
to return my call.
Beaconsfield mine is a
major employer in this town.
Perhaps we're not being discreet enough
in our approaches.
They don't want to lose their jobs.
If the mining's doing something dodgy,
someone will talk about it.
We just have to work out
how to get them to talk.
No one is going to
want to speak to camera.
They don't have to.
I can do that for them.
All I need is for someone
to tell us the truth
of what's going on in that mine.
Completely off the record.
No filming, no taping.
Even if I can get someone to speak to us,
we can't blame the mine
management for an earthquake.
That's just bad luck.
Now Howard, can I
borrow your handkerchief?
Did you know, this is
a magic handkerchief?
No, I didn't know that, Richard.
Well, it is, but I am going
to need your assistance.
Can you blow on this, please?
Magic.
I thought Larry was here to help us.
Right.
I thought he was
orchestrating the whole thing.
Now we find out he was
dead from the get-go.
His boy is just a few months old.
I wonder if he died straightaway,
or if he was trapped like us.
What difference does it make?
You can't save the boys that way.
It's too dangerous.
Chris seemed pretty confident
we could get in that way.
No, there's no way of removing the mesh.
I don't even know why Chris
thought it was possible,
because it's not.
Cut that mesh, we'll kill them.
You all right?
Yeah.
We'll find another way in.
I want God to give them strength,
to guide them, to lead them.
And I know he will.
So just pull them out.
It's not as easy as that.
Well, it must be.
If Chris can talk to them,
and pass things to them,
why can't you just pull them out?
Chris crawled through here,
into the rock fall, right inside it,
and he reached down through mesh,
that bit of mesh when across
the top of the rock fall,
up the side, and over Chris.
If you cut the mesh, it will collapse,
causing rock to come
crashing down on the boys.
But Chris was so close to them.
I know, and I know it's frustrating,
but pulling them out
the way Chris went in is
more than just a risk.
It will kill them.
It's all right.
It's getting closer.
Where the fuck is this
drill going to come in?
Is it above us?
Jesus.
Jesus, nearly speared us.
You nearly drilled right through us,
you fucking dunce.
Did I toe it?
Bloody hell.
Personally, I don't see us being able
to dig under the telehandler.
What if we get a road hitter?
We get through the last
15 meters with that.
We'll need to check
its rate of vibration.
My memory is that they create
a hell of a lot of rattle.
That's the last thing we need.
What about Raise borer?
They're the Ferrari boring equipment.
No, they're just zoned
to be used vertically.
We'd have to use it horizontally.
It's not supposed to be used like that,
like driving your Ferrari upside down.
But do you think it can work?
We can find out.
Put one there.
All right, all
right, just build the tunnel.
All right.
It's broken.
Put your hand in.
Yes, I am.
Ow.
It's a bit broke, but yeah,
I think you can get stuff through.
We'll see what we can get through.
Might take a while.
Thanks for that.
You don't sweat if I...
Mate, you saw what I was doing.
I was moving rocks.
It's not my fault it's broken.
It is your fault.
It's 100% fault.
We're gonna move some rocks,
so they get a clear run out.
It's broken.
God, I'm stuck in the
laziest prison in Australia.
Some one like you won't
even help clear a space
for a tube that's gonna keep us alive.
Don't turn that on me.
I blame it on you
because it's your fault.
- No, it's not.
- Oh really?
Will you shut up for a minute?
Can I have a minute's break
from your whingeing fucking voice.
Oh, you're a prick, Todd.
I'm sorry.
People don't like those new songs
They ain't colored like gold
I like a hippie down main
When my baby starts to step in
Well I don't know what to do
I get a longing to hear
Hank sing the blues
Well I get a longing to
hear Hank sing the blues
Every time I think I'm losing you
When my baby said goodbye
Well I hung my head and cried
And I get a longing to
hear Hank sing the blues
He's giving himself a tattoo.
You're giving yourself a tattoo.
I'll do it for you.
Give me the needle.
Not in a million fucking years.
Stop staring at me.
You put me off.
You're shitting me.
It's hard,
because Todd lives locally, obviously.
He's got a dog that is
incredibly loyal to him,
and Todd's dog is actually
every day at dawn...
I'll just grab you these things.
- Mom?
- Yeah?
Dogs are at the mine again.
Those idiot reporters keep feeding them.
Turn the telly off, please.
Thanks.
Come here, I want to show you something.
Where we going now?
I tried to dig Dad
out, but it didn't work.
Can you go down to the mines
and bring my daddy back to me?
Do my best.
You dickhead.
Next time I won't even be slowing down.
Pass me the phone, will you?
Hey, can I please have some water?
We got none left.
All right.
What the fuck is this?
Why they send us up
half a bottle of water?
Why are sending us up
half a bottle of water?
You're doing nothing else down there,
and what, you're too lazy to
fill up a bottle of water?
I don't care what the fucking dietitian.
Listen here, fuckwit, if I get outta here,
I'm going to smash your fucking head in.
Now send me up a bottle of water.
What am I supposed to do with this?
What, what am I supposed to
drink me own piss, you idiot?
Now just send me up a
fucking bottle of water.
You're not supposed to let me get upset.
Well, I'm upset,
and I ain't drinking any more of that
fucking oxygen.
You send any more of that, and I swear,
you better send up a gun,
because I'll blow out my fucking brains.
No water.
Six, five, four, three, two, one.
Thank you, Todd.
Oh, you're welcome, Brant.
So tell me about the
earthquake that happened
on ANZAC day.
Well, we've had a few of them.
This wasn't the first.
You get a few of them around here.
It's not around here.
It's in the mine.
What do you mean?
The mining causes the earthquake.
It's not some natural event.
There's always forces operating in rock.
If you take away the rock,
the forces are still there.
So what they're calling
an earthquake isn't
a natural phenomenon.
It's caused by over-mining.
If they'd mine what they're supposed to
and stop trying to cut corners to get
as much gold as they
could out of this mine,
they wouldn't have
caused the seismic event.
And those three boys
wouldn't have been buried.
Thank you very much, gentlemen.
Yeah, there've been a bit of a delay.
Yeah, well, the Raise
borer's down, ready to bore,
but we've realized that we
need something to sit it on.
So what does that mean?
It means we're going to have pull it out
and pour a slab.
Jesus bloody Christ.
Are you kidding?
And get us some cigarettes.
Chris, what's going on?
You said 48 hours.
Well, your families
are sending some clothes.
I'll send them up now.
I'm joined now
by Brant Webb's daddy, John.
John, a very good morning to you.
Thank you for being with us.
He's doing all right down there, yeah?
He's high-spirited, and they're saying
that he's physically well.
Obviously, he's tougher than his dad.
Waking up in the morning's the worst.
That's the worst.
It's constantly on your mind.
When you wake up, there it is.
Work on the main
rescue tunnel hasn't started yet.
Specialized boring
equipment, which pulverizes
rock into pebbles and
dust has to be anchored
first in concrete before it can cut
what is essentially a manhole.
It's slow-going, but much safer
than blasting and drilling.
The trapped men now know that the drilling
of this rescue tunnel
will be a slow process.
They've also been told
of the risk involved
as this rock crunching
drill inches towards them.
Get me out of here, Rachel.
Hello, Beaconsfield mine.
Yeah, look, I'm just ringing to tell you
that we're all really
concerned about the guys
down in the mine, and you know,
we're thinking of them.
We hope everything works out.
Thank you.
And can you let them know that?
Yes, I'll pass it on.
You know, we're praying for them.
Yes, we all are.
Thank you.
Hello, Beaconsfield mine.
I was wondering if I could speak
to somebody about donation?
Yeah, you can speak to me.
Yeah, I'm Dennis Raymond,
and I actually sell Winnebagos,
and I hear you're having
trouble with accommodation
and all the extra people coming into town.
Yes, we are, because the press have taken
every spare hotel room
within 200 kilometers.
Really?
Look, I'd like to bring around a couple
of Winnebagos just for people to sleep in,
you know, at no cost.
That's very generous, thank you.
No problem.
Hello, Beaconsfield mine.
Hi, can I speak to
someone in charge of the rescue?
You can speak to me.
Are you familiar
with those ejector seats?
You know the ones that
the fighter pilots use?
You know when they're like bombing things
and they go over the.
Where were you last ANZAC day?
When was ANZAC day, Howard?
Tuesday, last Tuesday.
Geeze, I must've pulled
a muscle or something.
My calf is really sore.
Have you seen my phone?
Howard, I don't know why
you bother having a phone.
I haven't lost it.
It's here somewhere.
Think of this.
Where were you last ANZAC
day, last Tuesday, a week?
Because it's since then the
two have been down there.
Let me ask you another question.
What caused this disaster?
Well, we all know the answer.
An earthquake, wasn't it?
No, it wasn't.
No, my good man, it wasn't.
No, no, no.
I can't hold it in, mate.
No, you are going to hold it in.
Can you send me a plastic bag?
All right.
Have to make sure the bag's on.
No.
Urinate.
Bloody hell, how big a crap
are you planning to do?
You're going to have to help me.
I'm not having anything to do with it,
for fuck's sake, hold it in.
What do you think I'm doing?
Can you send us up some packing tape?
I gotta tape this bag to me bum.
Oh, god.
You are filthy.
This is disgusting.
Have you finished it?
That is a relief.
You're not leaving
that bloody bag in here.
I'm not sending it down the tube.
Food comes out of there.
What if it breaks?
Get that bag out of here.
It's making me sick.
All right.
What is this?
That, my friend, is shit.
It's more reporters.
They want to interview the dog.
What?
They want to interview Holly.
They're not serious.
I think they are, mum.
Yeah, sure, they can talk to the dog
as long as they want.
Drilling of the escape
tunnel is now finished.
Framing is short from that tiny cave.
There's still plenty of work to do.
Their mates will have to break through,
to file past the hard rock.
Nice fly.
My little lie.
Something beginning with.
Rock?
- Too short.
- Yes.
Mate, I'm not really making a dent here.
Think we're going to have
to get an in here.
Man needs an LE drill to get through.
I was fixing to eat your sandwich.
They melted the cheese.
I hate melted cheese.
I mean, what idiot would do that?
Can't eat it now.
Yeah, okay, go ahead.
Stop the boring, stop the boring!
Stop, stop.
We're not going to be able
to drill our way through.
It's hardest rock I've ever seen.
The explosive guys from
Stihl reckon they can get
through the rock and create about as
half as much vibration as a drill.
No way, no way.
You're not blasting
when we're a meter away.
Are they serious?
They've already tried to blow us up.
Once enough, we need a second shot.
They're very low impact.
We've been testing them
for the past few days,
and I think it's going to
cause a lot less travel.
It might cause you a lot less travel.
What about us?
We're not keen.
I don't know what to say.
I can't see any other way forward.
Tell them we'll do one.
One round.
Did you hear that?
We'll do one round.
And then we reassess.
Unless of course they're
blowing our brains out.
I'll one round.
We'll keep you informed
every step of the way, okay?
Ready to go?
I never worked with
these explosives before.
Never been used in this mine.
And they've never been
fired this close to two men.
Here I am on this phone
convincing those two blokes
that it's our best option.
I want to be kept across each firing,
and I want the vibration
result from each one.
It doesn't matter how
this explosive guy assures
you things are, I just want it checked.
If anything's gonna
cause another rock fall,
it'll be this.
The question is, are you sure
you can get through to the space.
We are as confident as we can be,
given that we are doing
something that is quite unique.
We have other drill options
and rock-breaking options.
Mr. Gill, on the 26th
of October last year,
not 10 meters from where
these men are now entombed,
you had a 400-ton rock fall.
Why is it?
Is it the strength of the scene,
or the wealth of the scene,
that you continue to send men into work
in such a dangerous environment?
My focus is on
recovering these two chaps.
That has been my only focus.
In terms of what happened and why,
that will come later.
Howard, found your phone.
Oh, where did you find, Richard, Richard.
You the explosives guy?
Yeah, yeah, go ahead.
You're not going to kill us, are you?
Mate, these explosives,
they'll make a big bang,
but they don't really
cause much of a shake.
This type of hard rock is,
well, it's exactly what they love.
I want to countdown myself.
I want to know exactly
when you're going to fire.
Okay, mate, okay, you do it.
I'll come back when we're ready.
I'm going to countdown now.
We're ready for you.
Three,
two,
one.
Fire.
Are you there, Todd?
You fucking pussies.
My shotgun makes more noise than that.
Thank you.
One down.
You're hot, would you
like a drink of water?
Feeling pretty warm actually.
Easy.
- Lie on the floor.
- Yeah.
Tiny.
You're all right to go home,
but you've had an unusual ECG,
so if you can see your
GP in the next few days.
Okay.
Thanks.
There's news
in from Launcestown just now.
Perhaps you've already heard,
that Richard Carleton collapsed earlier
at the mine site.
Doctors now confirm that Richard is dead.
Our dear friend and
colleague at Channel 9,
Richard Carleton has passed away.
I'm very sorry to say
that's now been verified
by the hospital emergency room.
Three, two, one.
Fire!
Fire!
Fire!
Fire.
Fire!
Fire!
Fire.
You want a?
How many firings have you blokes done?
You all right?
It's me knees, mate.
They're killing me.
You crawl up and down that tunnel.
Can you keep going?
What choice do I got?
I'm not going to leave them in there.
Every time I be firing,
my heart's in my mouth.
I don't want to be the one...
Hey, hey, hey, just
concentrate on the job.
That's all.
Don't look either way.
Just on the job.
We're ready for you.
Okay.
Bill, is it too soon
to say the rescuers are
now within arm's reach?
I'm afraid it's too soon to say that.
They've still got to go up
about a meter and a half of complex rock,
hard rock, soft rock,
but what I do know is that
the progress keeps continuing.
And I think that we need to take
a leaf out of the book of the families
of Todd and Brant and just be patient.
I believe everything's
being done that can be done.
Is this the most
dangerous meter and a half?
And if you've got in your range,
wait until you see what's coming up next.
The distance between
here and here is 300 mills.
We drill from here to here,
and that gets us through to the boys.
I don't think that's right.
That rock's not supported.
If you drill through there,
it'll all come crashing down.
Bullshit.
Well, I don't think you're right, Brett.
If you're wrong, we're in trouble.
I agree with Peter.
You're planning to drill
through unsupported rock.
No, I'm not, see?
What you're failing to.
I need a fucking pen
that works in this place.
Okay, all right.
We're all tired.
We need to know if the survey
is right or if it's wrong.
If it's right, we will drill Pat's way.
If it's wrong, it's Peter's.
Yes.
Thank you.
Survey's correct.
We're going with option one.
So who was right?
I don't remember.
You know how long that took?
Four bloody hours.
Four hours to make a decision
that should have been
made in five minutes.
Doesn't matter how long it takes, Pat.
It just matters that we
make the right decision.
You know I'm the one that sent those boys
down there in the first place.
I used to sometimes go and see
Larry and discuss our boys.
My Calen and his little
fellow are the same age.
He was a gentleman.
Yeah.
Okay.
They need you down below.
Word had gone out
that the rescue was imminent
at 2:30 a.m., the magic time.
By late evening, more
than 100 people had braved
the foul weather.
He's strong and determined,
and yes, get them up here.
How are we
that they're coming up,
sooner than I anticipated.
There was a party atmosphere
after nearly two weeks of tension.
Celebration was tantalizingly close.
I got a couple of.
It'll be good.
Pretty excited, you all happy?
Are you all staying here
until the men come out?
Who is it?
Be right back with wood,
build it further around.
We've got the green light.
You're coming out first, Brant.
Why him?
Oh, didn't you resign about a week ago?
Employees out first, mate.
All right, let's go.
You'll be all right, mate.
They'll be straight back for you.
See you, my friend.
Yeah.
Todd, ready to go?
We can only assume that the men are
on this elevator.
As Bill said, is it an incredibly
historic moment, you know.
It is history in the making.
No one has ever done this before.
And so it's a unique operation,
and this survival story,
what a survival story.
Are these guys gonna come out of the cage
and walk into history?
They're going to see their families.
They're going to walk into history.
Their lives are never
going to be the same,
but thank God, they're alive.
We're not getting wheeled out.
We're walking out.
It's slowing.
Here they come.
Here they come.
Dim your little light on down
Dim your little light on down
Dim your little light he said
Now is the needed time,
oh now is the needed time
Now is the needed time
Lord have mercy on me
Lord have mercy on me
Lord have mercy on me
Now is the needed time
Oh, now is the needed time
Now is the needed time