Miner's family flies to NZ for grim wait

Willy Joynson. Photo / Supplied

The family of Australian miner Willy Joynson, missing after the explosion at the Pike River mine, is clinging to hope the father-of-two is still alive.

Mr Joynson, 49, from Queensland's Fraser Coast, and Joshua Ufer, from Townsville, are among 29 miners missing since the gas explosion tore through the mine at Greymouth on Friday afternoon.

Rescuers are still trying to determine if the air in the mine is safe enough to allow teams in to try to find the men.

Mr Joynson's sister Veronica Cook said the family wasn't giving up on him.

"You keep holding on to that little bit of hope that there is some chance," Ms Cook told ABC Radio today.

Her sisters and brothers were flying to Greymouth today to support Mr Joynson's wife Kim and their sons, aged 10 and 13.

Ms Cook said Kim was struggling.

"She's pretty shattered," she said.

She said the disaster had brought back bad memories of the day 13 miners died in the Kianga Mine disaster at Moura in central Queensland in 1975.

Her oldest brother lost his entire crew in that incident.

"My oldest brother used to work in mines but he pulled out of it because of the mine disaster in Moura. He's never gone back in," she said.

"He lost all his crew mates when it blew up."

That brother is among the siblings flying to Greymouth.

"We've just pulled together as a group and are trying to keep our morale up really," Ms Cook said. "You always have that little bit of hope."

She said Mr Joynson, who'd worked in mines all his life, moved with his family to New Zealand a year ago but planned to return to Australia to live in January.

"He is a very good father to his kids. He's an excellent person. A hard worker," Ms Cook said.

"He grew up on the Fraser Coast."

- AAP