HUNTINGTON — Outspoken mine owner Bob Murray may never again appear before reporters awaiting news of efforts to rescue six men who have been trapped inside the Crandall Canyon Mine for more than two weeks.
"Our efforts in the digging and recovering have left me such that I cannot be a good spokesman to the public media on behalf of our efforts to rescue the original six miners," Murray wrote in a letter dated today.
Murray Energy Corp., which co-owns the mine, remains "totally focused on the recovery of these miners and in administering to the welfare of their families," according to the letter.
The Deseret Morning News obtained a copy of the letter that Murray Energy officials say was distributed to those who inquired about Murray's whereabouts.
Murray has not been seen publicly since a Thursday night collapse killed three rescuers and injured six others who were frantically trying to reach their trapped colleagues.
However, the sometimes-volatile mine owner was among the first to run into the mine Thursday evening, helping to dig out his buried workers with his bare hands, said emergency preparedness manager for the mine Jeff Palmer, who witnessed Murray's response.
"He was right in there with them," Palmer said.
Members of the media repeatedly have asked about Murray's whereabouts during regular press briefings.
Rob Moore, vice president of Murray Energy, at first refused to answer questions about Murray but late Sunday said Murray had been "personally administering to the families of the deceased and the injured workers."
In his letter today, Murray wrote company officials are "addressing the losses of the additional families."
"Our employees are totally important to me," he wrote.
At a press conference the day after the initial Aug. 6 mine collapse, Murray stood before reporters and cameras for some 45 minutes, lambasting the media over what he said were inaccurate reports about the tragedy and its cause. Murray has contended throughout rescue efforts that the collapse was caused by an earthquake.
University of Utah seismologists have said the 3.9-magnitude seismic activity recorded early Aug. 6 was actually caused by the mine collapse.
Ohio-based Murray Energy has only owned the mine for a little over a year. The company also owns two other southeastern Utah mines, Tower and West Ridge.
E-mail: awelling@desnews.com; jpage@desnews.com