Kestrel Coal engages helicopter service to transport workers to CQ mine

A Central QLD mining company has been forced to fly workers to its site after footage emerged of a bus crossing floodwaters. SEE THE VIDEO

A Central Queensland mine has moved workers to a neighbouring town and flown them to site as footage of a bus crossing a flooded highway emerges.

Video footage of a bus transporting Kestrel Coal miners along the Gregory Highway through significant flooded areas surfaced on Saturday, raising concerns on social media for safety practices.

Kestrel Coal miners were transported along the Gregory Highway while considerable water was on the road. Picture: Contributed

But a Kestrel Coal spokeswoman said Kestrel’s Incident Management Team had responded promptly to the potential risks associated with flood waters.

“[They] redirected essential workers to accommodation in Capella to avoid flooded roads,” she said.

She said the company had engaged a helicopter service to fly 124 workers safely on and off site.

In regards to the bus transportation, the spokeswoman said Kestrel contracted an external bus service to ferry workers.

“The bus service provider operates under strict safety protocols and is satisfied none of these have been breached during recent weather events,” she said.

Severe weather continues to impact Central Queensland including in Mackay where more than 300mm of rain fell over Paget in 24 hours and triggering several road closures.

It follows the death of a 77-year-old Clermont man whose body was pulled from his Toyota LandCruiser found submerged in floodwaters in Hibernia near Clermont on Thursday.

Originally published as Kestrel Coal engages helicopter service to transport workers to CQ mine