Mine emergency: 'Our thoughts are with them'

Pike River tunnel entrance. Photo / Greg Bowker

Two Cabinet ministers were last night travelling to the Pike River Mine, as the Government offered assistance in the rescue of the trapped miners.

Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee said he and the Minister of Labour and Conservation Kate Wilkinson were travelling to the West Coast so the Government could offer whatever help and resources were required.

Mr Brownlee said the Prime Minister, who was attending the Pacific Youth Awards in Auckland last night, was being kept informed about events as they unfolded.

"The Government stands ready to offer whatever help and resources are required. Various agencies, including police, fire, ambulance and hospitals, are already involved," he said.

"The West Coast mine rescue team has been activated. It is important that the rescue authorities are given the space to do their jobs properly."

Mr Brownlee said the thoughts of the Government were with the "miners, their families and the rescue personnel dealing with this developing situation".

Earlier Mr Brownlee told TV3 that the mine was in "a part of the country that I'm very fond of" and it was a very well-constructed mine.

"It does have good ventilation capacity so I hope that will be helping and it's going into a seam of very high-quality coking coal.

"I'm really wanting to put whatever effort is necessary from Government to ensure we do get everything there for an effective rescue," Mr Brownlee, who formally opened the mine in November 2008, said.

Asked how the rescuers were getting information out to the families of the trapped men, Mr Brownlee said the first priority was to make sure the families were kept fully informed of exactly what was going on.

"I certainly personally feel very sympathetic towards those families, it's a dreadful situation for them to be in."