New Zealand coal mine explosion

A jet engine called 'The Gag' arriving on the back of a truck at the Pike River coal mine to aid the task of reaching the bodies of 29 men killed in the nation's worst mining disaster for almost a century Photograph: TV3 NEWS/AFP/Getty Images

A single rose sits on a sculpture in Greymouth as a tribute to the miners Photograph: Marty Melville/AFP/Getty Images

Twenty-seven of the 29 miners who were trapped inside the Pike River coalmine for five days. All 29 miners are believed to be dead after a second explosion. Top row, left to right: Conrad John Adams, 43, Malcolm Campbell, 25, Glen Peter Cruse, 35, Allan John Dixon, 59, Zen Wodin Drew, 21, Christopher Peter Duggan, 31, Joseph Ray Dunbar, 17, John Leonard Hale, 45, Daniel Thomas Herk, 36, (second row) David Mark Hoggart, 33, Richard Bennett Holling, 41, Andrew David Hurren, 32, Jacobus (Koos) Albertus Jonker, 47, William John Joynson, 49, Riki Steve Keane, 28, Terry David Kitchin, 41, Samuel Peter McKie, 26, Michael Nolan Hanmer Monk, 23, (bottom row) Kane Barry Nieper, 33, Peter O'Neill, 55, Milton John Osborne, 54, Brendan John Palmer, 27, Benjamin David Rockhouse, 21, Peter James Rodger, 40, Blair David Sims, 28, Joshua Adam Ufer, 25 and Keith Thomas Valli, 62 Photograph: Reuters

An aerial view of the Pike River coalmine shows smoke rising from a shaft after a methane gas explosion Photograph: Greymouth Star/Getty Images

A police roadblock near the Pike River coalmine Photograph: Tim Wimborne/Reuters

The CEO of Pike River Coal, Peter Whittall, gives a press conference at Greymouth police station Photograph: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

Peter Whittall at the Greymouth press conference Photograph: Ross Setford/AP

Peter Whittall shows New Zealand's prime minister, John Key, the safety equipment miners and contractors had at the time of the explosion Photograph: STR/EPA

A photo from 22 February 2008 shows the air flow system of Pike River coalmine, near Atarau, New Zealand Photograph: Greg Bowker/AP

Friends and family outside the Red Cross welfare centre in Greymouth Photograph: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

New Zealand police officers stand at a road block on the road leading to the Pike River coalmine Photograph: Tim Wimborne/Reuters

The entrance to the Pike River coalmine in Greymouth, New Zealand Photograph: Simon Baker/Getty Images

A sign at the entrance to the Pike River coalmine Photograph: Simon Baker/Getty Images

Worried friends and family stand outside the Red Cross welfare centre in Greymouth, New Zealand Photograph: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

A truck carrying drilling equipment passes through a police road block on the way to the Pike River coalmine Photograph: William West/AFP/Getty Images

Friends and family of the missing miners support each other outside the Red Cross welfare centre in Greymouth Photograph: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

Police and rescue teams at the Pike River coalmine Photograph: Simon Baker/Getty Images

Residents attend a service at the Holy Trinity Anglican church in Greymouth to pray for the 29 miners Photograph: Newspix/Rex Features

A man lights a candle at the Holy Trinity Anglican church Photograph: Newspix/Rex Features

Flowers and a note lie at the foot of the Strongman mine memorial near Greymouth. Nineteen miners died at the mine in 1967 Photograph: Martin Hunter/Getty Images

A Red Cross worker comforts a relative of one of the missing miners Photograph: Simon Runting/Rex Features

Pike River Coal Company CEO, Peter Whittall, shows New Zealand's prime minister, John Key (second left) the possible location of the trapped miners Photograph: Simon Runting/Rex Features

Peter Whittall arrives for a media briefing in Greymouth Photograph: Martin Hunter/Getty Images

CCTV footage of the portal of Pike River mine at the time of the explosion Photograph: Martin Hunter/Getty Images

Aerial view of the drilling rig Photograph: EPA

Peter Whittall speaks to the media after the second explosion in the Pike River coalmine Photograph: EPA

New Zealand's prime minister, John Key, at a press conference where reporters were told that a second explosion at the mine would have left no survivors Photograph: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

Family members leave a briefing after being told that the miners were believed to have died Photograph: Ross Setford/AP

A family is assisted by a counsellor after news of the second explosion Photograph: Ross Setford/AP

Family members leave a candlelight vigil Photograph: Ross Setford/AP

Family members leave the briefing Photograph: Tim Wimborne/Reuters

Greymouth's mayor, Tony Kokshoorn, is consoled by a friend Photograph: Martin Hunter/Getty Images

Red Cross volunteers leave a candlelight vigil Photograph: Ross Setford/AP

Burning candles at Holy Trinity Anglican church in Greymouth Photograph: Martin Hunter/Getty Images