Unscrupulous reporters have tried posing as victim support workers to gain access to distressed families, reports the Greymouth Star.

A robot sent into the Pike River coal mine has found a miner's hat with the light still on. Footage taken underground will be shown to families at 4pm.

If you haven't got time to read all our in-depth coverage of the Pike River Mine disaster, here's a quick summary of five key things you need to know today.

Families at this morning's Pike River briefing were unhappy they were not shown blast footage until yesterday, a miner's father says.

Dramatic security camera film has revealed the scale of Friday's Pike River mine blast.

"They don't understand it fully. For them, it's 'Dad's on a holiday' or 'he's just stuck underground'.

Families have viewed footage of the Pike River mine blast this afternoon. Lawrie Drew, father of Zen Drew, said the footage was difficult to watch.

Sending a robot into the Pike River coal mine where 29 men are trapped was always a "long shot", an expert says.

If you haven't got time to read all our in-depth coverage of the Pike River Mine disaster, here's a quick summary of five key things you need to know today.

Drilling on a new borehole into the Pike River coal mine is in its final stages, with 20m of the 162m tunnel to go.

The family of Aussie miner Willy Joynson is clinging to hope the father of two is still alive.

Rescuers plan to send a Defence Force robot into the Pike River coal mine where 29 miners remain trapped after an explosion on Friday, one gas levels drop.

nzherald.co.nz profiles the men trapped in the Pike River coal mine on the West Coast.

Pike River says equipment such as robots could create sparks in a gaseous environment.