Missing miners Dylan Langridge and Trevor Davis found dead following search at Queensland’s Dugald River mine

The two miners reported missing at an underground zinc mine in Northern Queensland have been found dead. 

Dylan Langridge, 33, and Trevor Davis, 36, were reported missing at Dugald River mine near Cloncurry after falling into a void about 8am on Wednesday. 

Perenti managing director and chief executive Mark Norwell confirmed their deaths in a statement on Thursday. 

“This is a devastating outcome and I want to extend my deepest sympathies and condolences to the families, friends, colleagues and loved ones of Trevor and Dylan, both of whom should have come home safely from work yesterday,” he said.

“Our immediate and ongoing focus is on providing support to the families, friends and colleagues of Trevor and Dylan.”

The men were driving a utility vehicle when a ground collapse caused them to plummet into a void in a stope, a large hole used to extract ore, about 100m below ground. 

A drilling rig also fell into the 25m-deep stope, but the operator was rescued and treated for minor injuries. 

Drones were deployed on Thursday to help in the ongoing rescue mission to find the two trapped workers.

Earlier, Cloncurry Shire Mayor Greg Campbell spoke of the challenges that rescue crews faced while searching the “pitch black” and “reasonably confined” space. 

“These rescue crews are highly trained and unfortunately they train for situations like this, but we all hope that they never have to put that training into action,” he said.