Check here for today's developments in the wake of the Pike River mine disaster.
12.00pm: Up to 500 friends and family members have been taken to the Pike River mine site today under overcast skies, just over a week after the disaster.
The families walked out of the council building onto the buses this morning, some carrying large bunches of flowers, one man holding
a framed picture of his loved one.
One woman was helped into an ambulance after collapsing while waiting to get on a bus. Another was too upset to talk to waiting media, who gathered alongside police and victim support workers.
11.08am: A decision on when a large gas generating machine will be put into action at the Pike River coal mine has yet to be made.
The machine is capable of producing seven cubic metres of inert gas per second and would take about a day to purge explosive methane from the mine, making it safe for rescuers to go in.
10.33am: Pike River's Peter Whittall had earlier said if he'd had his chance again, he'd have broken the news of the miners' deaths to their families differently, but Grey District Mayor Tony Kokshoorn has spoken up for the CEO who has won universal respect for dutifully fronting up to family members and the public every day since the disaster.
"Poor old Peter, he's waving us down: 'We then realised the gas levels had dropped because five minutes ago there was a massive explosion and no one would have'."
"He was trying to break it to us slowly but unfortunately when he said the gas levels had dropped ... we all grasped that before we heard the full story," Mr Kokshoorn told Newstalk ZB.
"You don't blame Pete for that."
10.26am: Grey District Mayor Tony Kokshoorn said the media in general were "unbelievable" and "showed compassion" in the wake of the Pike River tragedy.
Mr Kokshoorn told Newstalk ZB he had praise for the West Coast community and New Zealand as a whole for "dropping everything" and supporting one another.
"It's been unbelievable, the support we've had."
Mr Kokshoorn said that last night he'd had his first "decent" sleep since a week ago when the first explosion tore through the coal mine where 29 miners are believed to have died.
"The first two days, definitely zero [sleep] and then they told me I was going to fall apart."
Mr Kokshoorn said when he first heard about the explosion he said he went into a panic, because he understood what the possible outcome could be.
He was particularly emotional in recalling the events of last Wednesday, when a second explosion ended all hope of a rescue operation at the mine.
"I would never want to revisit that day, ever. It was when hope turned to hopelessness," Mr Kokshoorn said of the briefing where the miners' families were told that their loved ones would not be coming home.
"Collectively, when it's 29 times, it just magnified."
A week after the initial blast, he said a sense of realism had set in.
"We've been moving through with the families' grief ... we've dealt with that we we went."
Mr Kokshoorn was confident that Greymouth's economy would not be crippled if the mine were to close because it was only five years old, so the town could "go back five years" and start again in a different direction.
"Greymouth has the ability to pick up," Mr Kokshoorn said.
"It's the way of the West Coast. We have a good future around farming, tourism and mining. We love the Coast, we love what it means."
"We'll keep battling on," he said.
9.41am: Donations to relief funds helping families affected by the Pike River mine tragedy have topped $2.8 million.
Click here to find out how you can help.
Meanwhile the Welsh Rugby union has announced it will hold a collection for Pike River during tomorrow morning's test match between Wales and the All Blacks at Cardiff.
The visitors will wear white armbands in honour of the 29 lost miners.
9.00am: Around 400 friends and family members of the 29 lost miners are expected to make the 50km trip from Greymouth to the Pike River coal mine, Newstalk ZB reported.
They will not go near the mine portal itself.
8.39am: The union representing many of the nation's miners has set up another fund for families affected by the Pike River tragedy.
13 of the men who died were members of the EPMU, including union delegate Blair Sims.
National secretary Andrew Little said the cause of the disaster is unlikely to be known for some time, and the families will face hardship.
Now is the time to give them practical support, he said.
Half of what's raised by the union's support trust will go to the council's community fund, and half will go to an education fund for the children of those killed.
Donations can be made at any Kiwibank branch.
8.22am: Click here to read social media comments and tributes related to the Pike River tragedy, from New Zealanders and people around the world.
8.00am: Families of the Pike River miners will travel to the mine today.
Ahead of tomorrow morning's test match against Wales, Graham Henry has told Newstalk ZB that nothing in his seven years as All Blacks coach has "hit home" like the tragedy at Pike River.
The All Blacks have continued to express support for the West Coast community and said they hoped to deliver a positive result on the field tomorrow.
7.50am: Melissa Byrne has sent a message to her her partner, Pike River miner Samuel Mackie:
My main man SAM
Words cannot express how much I miss you. I miss that cheeky smile, your gorgeous eyes and your amazing hugs. You have given me the greatest gift anyone could ever give and that is your beautiful child. Your baby is going to grow up knowing how amazing their dad is and you will never be forgotten.
I love you and always will.
Love with all my heart Mel xoxoxo
7.34am: Nelson Cathedral has advised it will hold a memorial service for the Pike River Miners tonight from 6pm.
7.10am: A service to remember the Pike River miners has been planned for Christchurch.
It will take place on December 6 at the Christchurch Cathedral.
Mayor Bob Parker said it would be an opportunity to show support to the West Coast community, where he said 20,000 Christchurch residents originally came from.
Mr Parker said the city was "touched" by the generosity shown by West Coasters after the Canterbury earthquake and it was now his city's turn to help.
7.06am: The Pike River Coal board of directors has met to discuss the company's future.
Chairmain John Dow told Newstalk ZB that the area above the mine remained safe and intact but the status of the mine itself remained unknown and that until the company knew what caused explosions in the mine, "we won't know if it's safe to to back."
"Once the mine is safe, the company can then look at what's happened and decide what to do from there," he said.
Mr Dow said that recovering the bodies of the 29 lost miners remains the top priority.
7.00am: Good morning, and welcome back. Today marks two years to the day since the official opening of the Pike River coal mine.
Massey University trauma expert Steven Little, who provided assistance in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in the United States in 2005, said that West Coasters had been banding together.
"They don't feel isolated. They know the people around them are going through a grieving process," Dr Little told Newstalk ZB.
Dr Little said adults needed to be aware that children would process the situation differently, and the best thing they could to was to be patient.
- NZ HERALD STAFF, NEWSTALK ZB, NZPA
