Home > News > Major events > Previous major events > Operation Pike - West Coast Pike River Mine explosion
31 miners were inside the West Coast, Pike River Mine when an explosion occurred on 19 November 2010. Two injured miners managed to walk out of the coal mine.
It’s believed none of the 29 remaining trapped miners survived a second explosion on 24 November.
Two further explosions followed on 26 November and 28 November.
A Royal Commission on Inquiry into the disaster found that the deaths of the 29 miners were entirely preventable.
Schematic diagrams
Diagrams from Pike River mine, detailing the interior of the mine.… More
Videos and images from the Pike River mine explosion operation.
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Messages from some of the 29 miners families.
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This page contains links to our up-to-date information about the Pike River mine operation on the West Coast.
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New Zealand Police has received a number of requests for information on the expenses arising out of the search, rescue and recovery operation at Pike River Coal Mine.
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