Pike River mine: Gas tests dim hopes for survival

First tests on the air from a bore hole at the Pike River mine show it is high in carbon monoxide and methane and low in oxygen, Pike River CEO Peter Whittall says.
Mr Whittall told a media conference this morning the presence of the gases was making hopes fade for the survival of the 29 miners trapped underground since a blast on Friday.
He said the drill broke through at 7am and the first sample from the bore hole was now being analysed.
See video of the mine blast here
"There is a large understanding throughout the group [involved in the rescue operation] that the gases are making their hopes diminish. It makes it difficult to hold out hope that all 29 of those guys are waiting for us.
"We're going to get as many out as we can. If it's 29 that's great. If it's not we'll deal with that."
He said air samples would be taken from the bore hole at 15 minute intervals and would be used to inform rescuers hoping to enter the mine.
"They've got that data so they can start making more accurate decisions on whether they can enter the mine or not."
Mr Whittall said the drill had broken through the side of the hole and rescuers were yet to determine what could be put down. It was possible cameras would not fit.
He said a second bore hole would be drilled on an angle in a slightly different location from where was proposed yesterday.
The new hole would lead to the roadway to where the miners were thought to have been and would be 117m deep.
No evidence of survivors at fresh air base
Footage taken from a camera lowered into a fresh air base, to which miners could retreat if necessary, did not reveal any evidence of survivors, Mr Whittall said.
He said the footage showed no-one had visited the base since the explosion.
The footage was very poor quality, he said
"There's not a lot of light - it's pretty much just black. It doesn't show anyone's there, doesn't show anyone was there."
He was critical of reports rescuers could have safely gone into the mine if they had entered soon after the explosion.
Australian mining expert John Brady earlier told the Herald there is a small window of opportunity after any mining explosion where methane levels have not yet built up.
But Mr Whittall said it would always have been dangerous to enter the Pike River mine.
"It would have been just as hazardous straight away as it is now."
Robot
A Defence Force robot that broke down in the Pike River mine yesterday has been restarted and has gone deeper into the mine - stopping at 1km, with a second Army robot also moving into the tunnel.
Mr Whittall said the first robot sent into the mine had found a miner's hat with the light still on.
He 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," he said.
The robot had picked up other debris but nothing of a material nature, he said. The second robot was 800m into the tunnel.
A more advanced robot from Western Australia has also arrived on the West Coast to help in the rescue.
Mr Whittall reiterated that the issue of rescuers entering the mine was not about them being unable to breath, 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."