A FIVE-DAY rescue effort for the 29 miners missing in New Zealand's Pike River coal mine ended in despair today as a second, even mightier gas explosion eliminated any hope of finding survivors.
The explosion at 2.37pm local time (12.37 AEDT) came as, for the first time, authorities planning a rescue attempt were considering sending crews into the mine after gas levels appeared to be stabilising and declining.
But as Pike River CEO Peter Whittall was watching events up at the mine site on CCTV camera he saw a blast that he said appeared to be even stronger then the one on Friday that trapped the miners.
Earlier in the day Mr Whittall had told journalists he was hopeful that there might be some pocket of fresh air in some sections of the mine that could have offered hope that some miners, including two Australians, might have been brought out alive.
But he instead had the duty to address a pre-arranged briefing in the nearby town of Greymouth for the families and friends of the miners who had no inkling of the news.
Mr Whittall told the families he had been advised by experts that there was no hope any of their loved ones would come out of the mine alive.
“It was my responsibility and I wanted to tell them,” Mr Whittall said.
As the families came out of the Grey Council chambers where the briefing had been held dramatic scenes erupted as family members broke into tears and some verbally attacked media crews from around the world who had come to cover a story many hoped would end in a miraculous rescue similar to last month's events in Chile.
Police, Red Cross and paramedics assisted the relatives, some of whom had to be led out in the arms of others.
Laurie Drew, father of trapped 21-year-old miner Zen Drew, said: "They’ve just told us that the mountain’s blown again. They’re all dead. I don’t know what to say. They’re all dead."
Grey District mayor Tony Kokshoorn broke down as he left the briefing, calling it "gut-wrenching".
He said there was a lot of anger and frustration in the room. "Everyone started shouting and sobbing. This is the west coast’s darkest day."
"We thought we were going to get some good news.
"They told us there was a massive explosion and there was no way there were any survivors."
Superintendent Gary Knowles broke the news publicly at a media conference, saying: “Unfortunately I have to inform the public of New Zealand that at 2.37pm today there was another massive explosion underground and based on that explosion no one survived.
“We are now going into recovery mode.""It was extremely severe and based on expert evidence... it is our belief that no one has survived and everyone has perished," Superintendent Knowles told media.
"This is the most tragic thing I've experienced as a police officer."
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said the deaths were a national tragedy.
“We are a nation in mourning.”
The New Zealand government said a series of inquiries would be held into the tragedy.
Mr Whittall said the new blast had nothing to do with the rescue operation.
He was “absolutely confident” the measures taken by the rescue teams were correct. “Nothing done up there caused this,” he said.
Mr Whittell said the mine would have been filling up with gas. Probes had measured 95 per cent methane.
“There would have been a fringe of explosive gas and that would have provided a large amount of energy.
"If the men are no longer alive, which is most likely, I still want them back and the families still want them back."
An angry Mr Drew questioned the police handling of the operation.
He said relatives shouted at police in today's briefing on the second blast, saying “why didn't you go in five days ago when you had your window of opportunity?”
Officials had said sending a rescue team down the mine, which was filled with toxic gas, in the past six days, would endanger the lives of rescuers as well as the trapped miners.
Mr Kokshoorn said there was some anger directed at police today.
"They are now sending in search and rescue crews, which is ironic," he said after the meeting.
Mr Drew praised Mr Whittall and Superintendent Knowles for their efforts during the disaster, but said the directors of the Pike River company “were going to be held accountable”.
Earlier he had said relatives were beginning to get angry about the lack of information from officials.
Among the 29 miners were two Australians, Willy Joynson and Josh Ufer, whose families had come to the mining area on the north west coast to mount a vigil.
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