Father of miner 'hoping for a miracle'

All 29 miners trapped in a New Zealand coal pit since Friday are believed to be dead after a second explosion.

Police Supt Gary Knowles said there was no hope that anyone could have survived the "massive" underground blast at the Pike River mine on South Island.

Lawrence Drew, father of one of the miners, Zen Drew, believes there is a possibility that some miners could be alive and said he was "still hoping for a miracle".