Operation Pike - West Coast Coal Mine Operation

Press releases | Police spokespeople | Maps & Diagrams | Family messages | Videos and images | Costs

This page contains links to our up-to-date information about the Pike River mine operation on the West Coast. Police, other emergency services and specialist teams have been at the scene since the explosion on Friday 19 November.

Police Press Releases

13 May 2011

• Police update families on Pike River mine images

29 April 2011

• Man arrested for trespassing at Pike River coal mine

28 April 2011

• Image has located what may be body in mine

10 March 2011

• Pike River Coal to implement mine stabilisation plan

17 January 2011

• Mine hand-over

13 January 2011

• Pike River statement from Commissioner Howard Broad

12 January 2011

• Rocsil sealing completed

11 January 2011

• Volatility of mine hampers sealing work

9 January 2011

• Preparation continues for sealing work at Pike River mine

7 January 2011

• Sealing surface cracks around Slimline next crucial step at Pike River

5 January 2011

• Pike River temperatures continue to fluctuate

24 December

• GAG undergoing maintenance

23 December

• Police pay tribute to international support at Pike River mine
• Advisory: Pike River mine police media enquiries during holiday period

22 December

• Commissioner receives draft plan from Pike River

21 December

• Torrential rain hampers work at Pike River

20 December

• GAG operating again at Pike River
• Gas levels rise after gag shutdown at Pike River

19 December

• New Floxal images available
• Media advisory: Images of Nitrogen Generator arriving at Pike River
• Nitrogen generator working well at Pike River

18 December

• Nitrogen generator working well at Pike River
• Nitrogen generator operating at Pike River
• Nitrogen generator arrives at Pike River

16 December

• Police recovery efforts continue at Pike River

14 December

• Police continue to meet commitments to Pike River recovery

12 December

• Media advisory: Images of Pike Rive vent cap
• Capping of Pike River ventilation shaft completed

11 December 

• Pike River shaft capping expected tomorrow

10 December

• Process underway to hand mine back to Pike River

9 December

• Conditions at Pike River coal mine remain volatile

8 December

• Pike River Mine fire speculation "premature"
• Greymouth Police Station blessed

7 December

• Media Advisory: Pike River mine vent shaft picture taken 7/12/2010
• Flames gone at Pike River mine vent shaft

5 December

• NZ Fire Service begins work to cool Pike Mine vent shaft
• Temporary shutdown of GAG at Pike River mine

4 December

• GAG engine continues operation at Pike River mine

3 December

• Media Advisory: weekend media re. Operation Pike
• Media Advisory: Video footage of GAG available for download
• Media briefing 4:15pm with Dr David Cliff and Gary Knowles
• Gag engine to continue through weekend

2 December

• Media Advisory: Images of GAG engine available for download
• Media Advisory: Operation Pike media briefing 5pm at Greymouth Police Station
• GAG working to extinguish fire in Pike River mine

1 December

• Urgent media advisory: Greymouth media briefing at 4pm
• Media Advisory - video and still footage of the third and fourth explosions at Pike River Coal Mine available
• Work continues to install GAG at mine portal
  

30 November

• Operation Pike: footage and photos available this afternoon 
• Operation Pike media briefing CANCELLED
• Fire at Pike River Coal mine portal stalls GAG deployment
• Media briefing at Greymouth Police Station at 5:20pm Tuesday 20 November 2010
  

28 November

• Fourth explosion impacts recovery plan
• Media Advisory: Briefing outside Greymouth Police Station tonight at 7pm
• Fourth explosion at Pike River mine

26 November

• Third blast at Pike River mine
• Good progress on Pike River mine recovery planning
• Media advisory: No Police news conference in Greymouth today

25 November

• Operation Pike update
• Commissioner Howard Broad's blog Sad outcome at Pike River
• Media advisory re. press conference in Greymouth

24 November

• Second blast at Pike River mine
• Media Advisory: Robot Footage
• Commissioner Howard Broad's blog Pike River: a gut-wrenching operation
• Operation Pike media advisory

23 November

• Police continue to plan for rescue of trapped miners but likelihood diminishing
• Pike River coal mine media conference - 5:30pm today
• Rescue teams plan for all eventualities
• Community drop-in centre opens in Greymouth
• Thank you for your messages of goodwill

22 November

• Overnight update - Pike River mine
• Further photos of miners now available
• New mobile phone number for Police media team working on Operation Pike
• Photos of some miners now available
• Operation Pike media conference - 5:30pm Monday 22 November
• Photos of trapped miners will be available
• Names and photos released of coal miners trapped in Pike River coal mine 

21 November

• Monitoring of mine gases to continue overnight as rescuers await go-ahead to move in 
• Footage from 3pm news conference

20 November

• Police release nationalities of trapped miners 
• Safety paramount in mine rescue
• Air test results still not received for West Coast coal mine rescue operation 
• Corrected Police communications contact details for coal mine rescue operation
• Rescuers determined to bring trapped coal miners home
• Media conference: Pike River coal mine explosion

19 November

• Welfare centre set up for miners' families
• Ventilation concerns at West Coast coal mine site
• Two miners out of West Coast coal mine
• Two miners out of Pike River coal mine near Greymouth 
• Explosion at West Coast coalmine
• Emergency services respond to explosion at West Coast coal mine

Police spokespeople

Media are now asked to use a new mobile number to reach the NZ Police Media Communications team working at Greymouth on the Operation Pike River coal mine search and rescue operation.

This dedicated number is: 027 501 5742. The phone will be answered 24 x 7 by the Police media communications team working at Greymouth Police Station.