Miners missing after New Zealand explosion

Twenty-seven miners are missing after an explosion in a coal mine in the South Island of New Zealand.

The Pike River mine explosion occurred at 1.30 pm local time, and there has been no contact with the missing miners so far.

Peter Whittall, chief executive of  Pike River Coal, was asked if any bodies had been recovered.

"I've not had any reports of that at all," he said. "We've had two miners who've walked out of the mine and they're currently being spoken to and treated on the surface. We've had no communication with anyone else underground at this stage.

"The men are between 2 and 2.5km inside, but because the mine drills into the side of the mountain they are probably only 120m below the surface.

"The issue for the rescue team will be to ensure that the ventilation underground is adequate for them to go in and find the men."