Online Press Release Service for New Zealand
Police Commissioner Howard Broad said this afternoon’s news that a second explosion has ended all hope of finding the 29 Pike River miners alive is devastating for the miners’ families and the West Coast community.
Video Transcript of Prime Minister John Key’s Speech at Pike River Mine Tragedy Press Conference.
Specialist skills from throughout New Zealand and overseas are being used to help the rescue effort at the Peak River coal mine near Greymouth where 29 miners have been trapped since Friday night. Superintendent Gary Knowles, Tasman Police District Commander, said today that all avenues are being explored to get the men out.
Photographs of the miners trapped underground at the Pike River coal mine will be made available by families who choose to do so for police to publicly release. This may not happen until later today.
Telecom has offered any help and resources it can provide to assist the Pike River Mine explosion rescue effort.
The Government stands ready to offer whatever assistance it can as events unfold at Pike River mine on the West Coast, says the Minister of Energy and Resources, Gerry Brownlee.