Beaconsfield mine disaster survivors still suffering from their two weeks trapped deep underground as the tenth anniversary of the tragedy approaches

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The two gold miners trapped for a fortnight almost one kilometre underground are still suffering despite their miracle survival as the 10th anniversary of the nears.

Brant Webb and Todd Russell had been working in a steel cage at the end of a teleloader in Beaconsfield mine, northeast Tasmania, on the night of April 25, 2006.

A small earthquake triggered an underground rockfall shortly before 9.30pm, trapping the pair and killing Larry Knight who was driving the work vehicle.

The 44-year-old’s body was found two days after the collapse, and many lost hope for Mr Webb and Mr Russell who remained unaccounted for.

But after two long weeks and a delicate rescue operation, the pair famously left the mine fist pumping the air.

Close friends and locals in the small town, though, say their woes weren’t left in the rubble, according to Adelaide Now, despite their survival and a $1 million media deal with Channel Nine.

After spending two weeks trapped in a cage almost one kilometre underground, gold miners Todd Russell (left) and Brant Webb (centre) were freed and famously walked out fist pumping the air

Todd Russell, who was 34 at the time of the disaster and would now be 44, is pictured at Beaconsfield's mine heritage museum in 2011

Brant Webb, who was 37-years-old when he was trapped almost one kilometre underground for two weeks, is pictured in 2011

‘It sounds like a fairytale story for them, but that’s not the way it worked out,’ said friend Greg Crowden told the paper.

Mr Webb, who was 37 at the time of the disaster, is now working four jobs to pay off his mortgage doing home deliveries for a local bottle shop, consulting to a vineyard, working in a motor workshop and recounting his story to tour groups.

Despite doing rehab to get back into work, he still suffers flashbacks, anxiety, and grief over the loss of Mr Knight.

With his handsome Channel Nine pay-check, which was controversially taxed at the ATO’s second job rate, Mr Webb bought yachts and jetskis.

On day six, after long-slogs of precarious drilling, the survivors received emergency supplies - food, water, vitamins, space blankets, clothing, plastic bags and glow sticks

The pair had been feared dead until five days in when two frustrated rescue workers and colleagues disobeyed orders and ventured into an insecure access area and heard the trapped workers calling for help 

‘They both thought, for a long time, they weren’t going to make it,’ Mr Crowden told Adelaide Now

‘It wasn’t a slab of rock sitting above them, it was a lot of fines [small rocks]. It would only take one keystone rock to come out and it was over for them, which they were aware of,' Mr Crowden said

Mr Russell, who was then-34, is an explosives consultant to mining companies and captain of the local fire brigade.

He used his $1 million deal to buy 14 hectares and build a sprawling home with swimming pool for his family. 

He never enjoyed the media attention. 

The pair had been feared dead until five days in when two frustrated rescue workers and colleagues disobeyed orders and ventured into an insecure access area and heard the trapped workers calling for help.

‘They both thought, for a long time, they weren’t going to make it,’ Mr Crowden told Adelaide Now.

‘It wasn’t a slab of rock sitting above them, it was a lot of fines [small rocks]. It would only take one keystone rock to come out and it was over for them, which they were aware of.

‘They wrote their lovenotes to their families on their uniforms and they were lying there for two weeks waiting for stuff to fall on them, waiting to die.’

On day six, after long-slogs of precarious drilling, the survivors received emergency supplies - food, water, vitamins, space blankets, clothing, plastic bags and glow sticks.

14 days after the earthquake, Brant Webb and Todd Russell walked out of the Beaconsfield mine. 

The pair leave the mine after a small earthquake caused an underground rockfall, trapping them for 14 days

Mr Russel (left) and Mr Webb (right) move their safety tags to 'safe' as they emerge from the mine after a delicate rescue mission

‘It sounds like a fairytale story for them, but that’s not the way it worked out,’ friend Greg Crowden said

Close friends and locals in the small town said their woes weren’t left in the rubble despite the miracle survival (Todd Russell pictured)

They were each given a $1 million media deal with Channel Nine to tell their exclusive stories (interview pictured). The pay was controversially taxed at the ATO’s second job rate

The pair were trapped in a cage almost one kilometre underground for a fortnight

Shortly before 9.30pm on April 25, 2006, a small earthquake triggered an underground rockfall at Beaconsfield mine (pictured)