Inquest into mine death of former Royal Marine Nathaniel Beesley to examine scaling hazards

An upcoming inquest into the tragic Tasmanian death of former British Royal Marine, Nathaniel Beesley, will examine the dangers of mine scaling. LATEST >>

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INFORMATION from Western Australia’s Department of Mines will be canvassed in an upcoming inquest into the tragic death of a Savage River mine worker.

Former British Royal Marine Nathaniel Owen Beesley, 32, fell to his death in March 2017 while working in an iron ore mine about 100km southwest of Burnie.

An administrative hearing in Hobart’s Coronial Division was held on Tuesday, with the inquest having been on hold for more than a year due to Covid restrictions.

Nathaniel Beesley, pictured with wife Katie Beesley, died on March 17 in 2017 while working in a Tasmanian mine.

Mr Beesley – who survived two tours of Afghanistan – had moved to Australia with his wife Katie and their two young sons only a year before the rock fall that claimed his life.

He had been working for the specialising mining and civil engineering services company SRG, contracted by mine operator Grange Resources, to conduct scaling operations on the mine’s walls.

Mr Beesley was working in the role while waiting to be transferred from the British defence force to the Australian Army.

Nathaniel Beesley, pictured with his two sons, died on March 17 in 2017 in a mining accident.

His body was recovered four days after the mining accident.

On Tuesday, Robert Phillips – counsel for Mrs Beesley – said Western Australia’s Department of Mines had summarised the hazards of scaling.

He said risk factors such as inadequate ground support, the deterioration of rock over time, the use of rope in scaling operations and whether there had been an inadequate risk assessment should be covered at the inquest.

Nathaniel Beesley, pictured with son Freddie.

Mr Phillips said it was important to investigate whether those hazards existed at the time of Mr Beesley’s death, and whether those risks were – or should have been – taken into account before allowing the scaling operation to take place in the manner it was.

Coroner Simon Cooper ordered the documents be provided to him by July 16, agreeing with suggestions the inquest should canvass any information that may be of use in investigating Mr Beesley’s death.

A date for the inquest has not yet been set.

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