New Zealand police have admitted for the first time that they are preparing for loss of life in the mine explosion that has trapped 29 men underground.
The men, including two Australians, have been missing since an underground explosion at the Pike River mine, near Greymouth on the South Island, on Friday.
Rescuers have started drilling a 15cm-diameter hole into the mine, hoping it will allow them to take air samples and use a fibre optic cable to see conditions underground.
The drill has covered about 135 metres of the 160 metres it will need to travel to reach the level where the men are believed to be trapped.
The police officer in charge of the operation, Superintendent Gary Knowles, says it is still a search and rescue mission.
"We still remain optimistic. We are still keeping an open mind," he said.
"But we are planning for all outcomes and also as a part of this process we're planning for the possible loss of life as a possible result of what's occurred underground.
"We keep an open mind but we are planning for that."
Pike River Coal chief executive Peter Whittall says the 162-metre hole should be completed today.
"We've got a number of opportunities once we can get the hole through to sample gas," he said.
"From that point we'll have an opportunity to put laser imaging gear down the hole which can be used to gather a large amount of data."
He says that camera will be able to give images showing any equipment or rocks in the area underground.
Mr Whittall says progress has slowed as the drill reaches harder rock.
"It may take several more hours to get through that final section," he said.
Robot testing
Mr Whittall says American experts are assisting with the use of seismic equipment that could help find the trapped men.
"They have suggested we use seismic gear to listen on top of the ground for any movement underground, and we will be, if possible, deploying that equipment," he said.
A remote-operated robot is also being prepared to be sent into the collapsed mine shaft to attempt to make contact with the men and assess any damage.
Mr Whittall corrected earlier reports that said experts were working to adapt the robot so it would not spark a fresh explosion in the mine shaft, which is believed to be full of toxic gases.
He says it will not be safe to use the robot in anything but fresh air, which has been detected as far as 1.8km into the 2.5km-long mine.
NZ defence force personnel have been putting the robot through its paces to see if it can drag fibre optic cable the length of the mine.
Today the men's names were released and read out at a briefing attended by the High Commissioners of both Britain and Australia, along with New Zealand's prime minister, John Key.
Mr Key has visited the mine for a second time and met with families of the missing miners.
He says it is important any rescue operation does not further endanger the miners.
"The risk is that by going into the mine they then destabilise the atmospheric environment and the introduction of more oxygen or different gases as a result of their activity leads to a second explosion," he said.
"We've seen that in previous mine rescues. So in an attempt to rescue the guys you could potentially end up killing them as well as the rescue people themselves. Now we can't take that risk."
Among those missing are two Australians, 49-year-old Willy Joynson and 25-year-old Joshua Ufer, both from Queensland.
Their relatives, along with other families have arrived in Greymouth to visit the mine where their loved ones are trapped.
Fear and tension in the community is rising as the operation to locate the men underground drags on.
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http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/11/22/3073406.htm?section=justin
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