Robot finds miner's hat with lamp lit

A robot sourced form Perth, Australia is unloaded off a Australian Airforce Hercules at Hokitika airport. Photo / NZPA

A Defence Force robot sent into the Pike River coal mine has found a miner's hat with the light still on, media were told this morning.

The robot broke down in the mine yesterday but was restarted and sent deeper into the mine - stopping at 1km, with a second Army robot also moving into the tunnel.

Pike River CEO Peter Whittall said the discovery of the hat belonging to miner Russell Smith - who escaped the blast - could be good news as it meant those trapped could still have light after four days.

"If they've been using their lights sparingly may have light with them through all this time," he said.

"I certainly hope the guys are waiting down there, I certainly hope to see them again."

The robot had picked up other debris but nothing of a material nature, he said. The second robot was 800m into the tunnel.

Some footage had been obtained from the robots and would be shown to miners' families at 4pm, a police spokesperson said.

Australian Robot

A more advanced robot from the Perth Water Board in Western Australia has also arrived on the West Coast to help in the rescue.

Tasman police district commander Gary Knowles told this morning's media conference the Australian robot would be shipped to the mine site today.

He said it was "a very large beast" and rescuers would be assessing its capability and then deploying it.

Mr Whittall said the robot would need to get past the loader that was in the middle of the underground roadway.

Air New Zealand is shipping in another robot from the United States at 7.15am on Thursday.

Mr Whittall reiterated that the issue of rescuers entering the mine was not about them being unable to breathe, but the risk of an explosion happening independently of their actions.

"If an explosion happens while [a robot] is in there we've lost a piece of equipment - not a person."

Mayor offered fourth robot

Grey District mayor Tony Kokshoorn said today he had been offered another "state of the art" robot by search and rescue workers in Sydney.

He said he had passed the information on to police and was asking them to seriously consider shipping the robot in.

"This one is a fantastic hope.

"I've been with these families for almost a week now. They've been through hell and back. We can't keep putting them through this. We need some system in there where we can actually see the miners."

'Time to go in'

Geoff Valli, whose brother Keith is down the mine, earlier told Radio New Zealand he was tired of hearing about the delays in the rescue.

"They need to go in and have a look," he said. "We ain't got the time."

Mr Valli acknowledged he would feel "absolutely terrible" if there was a second explosion and rescuers lost their lives, but questioned how the rescuers will feel if the miners lost their lives and could have been saved.

"It's time for men to do what men have got to do," he said.

Mr Valli said his brother had been mining all his life and was a "good bugger".

"He's quiet, unassuming, as solid as a rock."

Mr Valli said he had hope, but that it was "not there for ever".