Distraught relatives sobbed and collapsed yesterday as a rugged New Zealand coastal town faced its “darkest hour” following a mining disaster which killed 29 workers.

Locals in Greymouth said they had been desperately clinging to the hope that the miracle rescue of 33 Chilean miners last month would be repeated at the Pike River colliery.

But news of a devastating second blast, following Friday’s initial explosion, confirmed fears that Pike River would not become a third survival tale, after Chile and the rescue of 29 Chinese miners only this week. “In the back of our minds we probably all knew their chances weren’t good, but this is just horrific,” said retired Greymouth resident Neil Mooney.

Grey District mayor Tony Kokshoorn, who was present when police told family members there was no prospect anyone remained alive in the coal mine, described how the relatives’ intense anger accompanied the devastating sense of loss.

“They were screaming at them. It was absolute despair,” he told reporters, describing people collapsing as they were overcome with grief and calling it the region’s “darkest hour”.

“When the news came everyone just cracked up.

People were openly weeping everywhere. People shouted out in anger, they are sickened by the whole thing. A lot of them felt misled.”

Greymouth’s main street was almost deserted in the hours after the announcement, as people gathered in pubs or sat at home transfixed by TV reports of the tragedy at the mine, 50 kilometres out of town.

“I’ve just been in the the pub and it’s packed but it’s absolutely silent,” said businessman David Streeter. “It’s a morbid feeling.

“There’s a woman there who knew someone in the mine and she’s being consoled.”

Signs in shop windows offered messages of hope and support for the miners, the latest victims of the dangerous industry on which the tough west coast town was founded.

Yellow ribbons tied to traffic signs fluttered in the breeze, symbols of hope that were cruelly snuffed out by yesterday’s second explosion.

The mother of the youngest miner killed, 17-year-old Joseph Dunbar, who was on his first shift underground when the blast hit, broke the news to friends shortly after the official announcement.

“I regret to inform you that Joseph will not be coming home,” she said in a text message to friends.

Along with the grief was anger, particularly at police, who were blamed for preventing rescuers from trying to reach the missing men in the days immediately after the first blast.

“As a New Zealander, I feel the police let us down,” Streeter said, while builder Mike Curtis said: “They should have gone down straight away, all the old timers knew that.”

Mr Curtis knew one of the miners, Michael Monk, 23, a star player in the local rugby league team.

“I trained him up as a builder, he only left about three months ago to go to the mine to get a bit of extra money. It’s a sad occasion for the town,” he said, adding that residents felt drained and upset.

Mr Mooney said he was at home when news of the second explosion broke.

Timeline of the rescue attempt:

November 19

2.45 a.m. The men are trapped by a gas explosion at the Pike River Coal Mine in Atarau, on South Island.

November 20

5 a.m. A mission to locate the workers hampered by fears of a second explosion. It is not known if the men are alive or dead.

Tony Kokshoorn, mayor of nearby Greymouth, warns it could be days before it is safe enough for special teams to enter the mine.

6 a.m. Union representative Trevor Bolderson says chances of a second blast are high after initial readings are taken of the gas levels in the mine.

Foreign Office confirms two Britons are reported missing.

8 a.m. One of the missing Britons is understood to be Pete Rodger, 40, from Perthshire, Scotland, who emigrated to New Zealand two years ago to be closer to his mother and sister who live there. He was formerly an offshore oil engineer.

1 p.m. Second missing Briton is understood to be Malcolm Campbell, 25, originally from St Andrews in Fife. Prime Minister David Cameron sends a text message to his New Zealand counterpart John Key saying: “I am thinking and praying for the best. I will make sure our diplomatic team help in any way they can.”

5 p.m. It emerges that Prince William has also sent an email to Mr Key offering his support.

Twenty-four New Zealanders, two Australians, two Britons and one South African are confirmed inside the mine.

6 p.m. The parents of Mr Campbell say they are waiting in hope for news about their son. Malcolm senior, 50, and mother Jane, 45, say they have to keep hoping for good news, as do all the other parents of the trapped miners.

It emerges that Mr Campbell junior is due to marry his fiancee, Amanda Shields, 23, on December 18.

Mr Rodger’s New Zealand-born girlfriend, Dianne Morris, writes on her Facebook site: “Just got to keep having positive thoughts.”

November 21

3 a.m. Pike River Mine’s chief executive, Peter Whittall, says latest tests on gases in the mine show it is still unsafe to launch a rescue operation. Trevor Watts, who is leading a team of 30 men from New Zealand Mine Rescue, says his men are ready to deploy if there is a window of opportunity.

7 p.m. Russell Smith, one of two miners to escape the blast, describes being bombarded with a wall of dust and debris.

“It wasn’t just a bang, finish, it just kept coming, kept coming, kept coming,” he says. He was pulled to safety by colleague Daniel Rockhouse and it took at least an hour for the two to walk out of the dust-choked tunnel.

A hole is being drilled from the mountain above down 500 feet to the mine to assess air quality and to lower listening devices.

11 p.m.: Mr Key says: “We’re going to get through this and do everything that we possibly can to get the men out alive.”

November 22

3 a.m. It emerges that a hi-tech robot is being prepared to be sent into the mine to transmit pictures and take more measurements.

Police Superintendent Gary Knowles says: “The situation remains grave, given we’ve had no contact from the men for more than three days.” But he insists: “We remain optimistic.” Mr Key says there is “every chance” the miners are still alive. They may have reached a pocket of oxygen flow, he says.

Mr Whittall says teams drilling a second borehole into the mine have reached a depth of 125metres, but the operation has been slowed due to reaching hard rock.

9.40 p.m. Mr Knowles indicates hopes are fading over the fate of the men as he says it is too dangerous to send rescue teams into the damaged pit.

“This is a serious operation and the longer it goes on, hope fades and we have to be realistic,” he tells the media.

The rescue effort also suffers a blow when the remote-controlled robot sent into the mine breaks down, requiring more advanced equipment to be flown in from Australia.

November 23

2.30 a.m. Mr Key warns the nation to prepare for the worst, saying police are planning for the possible loss of life following the blast.

6 a.m. Rescuers release footage of the explosion at the mine entrance.

Closed circuit TV footage shows a wall of white dust and stones surging from the entrance for 50 seconds as the underground blast rips through the mine.

9.30 p.m. Rescue teams say they are still unable to go into the mine because it is not safe.

November 24

Early hours: A drilling team which breaks through to the section of Pike River mine are greeted by a blast of potentially deadly gases.

4.04 a.m. Mr Knowles reveals a second explosion has ripped through the mine, and nobody is thought to have survived.

He says: “The blast was horrific - just as severe as the first blast.

“Based on the expert advice I have been given it’s our belief there would have been no survivors.”

Some family members who are told at the scene react by shouting, with others falling to the floor.

5.30 a.m. Addressing the nation, New Zealand’s prime minister John Key says: “We are a nation in mourning.

“Where this morning we held on to hope, we must now make way for sorrow.”

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