New Zealand Mine Rescue Attempt Still Unsafe

Rescuers are still unable to reach 29 miners trapped in a coal mine on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island as combustion underground continues to generate poisonous gases making a rescue attempt unsafe.

Pike River Coal's CEO Peter Whittall told a press conference on Sunday morning local time the company has detected "heating of some sort underground" with some combustion of material generating methane and carbon monoxide.

He said a hole would be drilled down into the mine to get a better idea of how much dangerous gas is still present in the mine, which would take until SUnday evening at the earliest.

Mr Whittall said something was happening underground but the extent they dont know, but the "event of heating is reducing rather than increasing."

"We still not at point where rescue teams are safe to enter the mine," he said.

Police said they were still focussing on a rescue operation, but were not prepared to endanger other lives in the rescue effort.

Pike River Coal has accepted an offer from Air New Zealand to send an employee support team of 30 people to Greymouth, with one support person allocated to each of the families.

Of the 29 miners still trapped underground, 24 are New Zealands, two are Australian, two are British and one from South Africa.

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