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.

Relatives of the trapped miners reacted with disbelief and anger to news a robot had malfunctioned.

The robot sent into the Pike River Mine was operating outside of its primary role when it broke down.

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

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.

It's been revealed a member of the mine rescue team is among those trapped. Officials say gas levels inside the mine are falling, but unstable.

Praying for a miracle, hundreds attended church services in Greymouth on Sunday morning.

There is a growing sense of despair among the families of the 29 miners who have been trapped at Pike River since Friday.

The hole being drilled by Pike River mine rescuers could allow the miners to communicate with people on the surface.

Families of the 29 men trapped in the Pike River coal mine near Greymouth on the West Coast are being taken to the site.

While residents gather and families worry, hospital staff and funeral directors prepare themselves for all scenarios.

International mining experts have raised concerns about safety issues at Pike River Coal which may have led to the explosion.

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