West Coasters are known for their fighting spirit, which has been tested to the extreme this weekend.

A second night passes with no word from the 29 trapped miners in the Pike River mine. Families cling to hope as experts fear the worst.

There will be no attempt to rescue 29 miners trapped in a West Coast mine tonight, with no further air quality sampling until tomorrow.

As the West Coast holds its breath in hope for the 29 missing miners, the local league community is thinking of Blair Sims and his family.

West Coasters went about their business today hoping for the best but painfully aware of the grim record of tragedies in mining.

With luck, the country will receive news that the brave 29 are back above ground and telling tall tales over a beer.

Police say a bid to rescue or recover 29 miners trapped in a West Coast coal mine is on hold, and could begin at any time over the next two days.

He avoided yesterday's Pike River blast by minutes - now a miner waits for news of trapped workmates.

Mining companies around the world face a constant struggle to avoid accumulations of methane gas and coal dust underground.

Rescue crews will face a number of challenges as they work towards accessing the area where 29 coal miners are believed to be trapped.

Since its announcement in 2005, the Herald has tracked the progress of the Pike River coal mine.

The two men who managed to get out of the Pike River mine clambered up a narrow chimney to escape.

29 miners remain trapped underground after yesterday's blast at Pike River Coal's West Coat mine.

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

The Herald's energy reporter, who has visited Pike River, reflects on the project's delays, and now disaster.

Concerns over air quality are delaying the start of a rescue attempt to find 27 men trapped after an explosion at a West Coast mine this afternoon.

A rescue team preparing to search for 27 men trapped inside a collapsed West Coast mine are still assessing the safety of conditions inside the mine.

Methane gas has long been identified as a potential problem for the Pike River Coal mine, as rescuers scramble to find up to 27 missing miners.

Send your messages of support to the families and friends of the trapped West Coast miners.