The New Zealand company that operates the coal mine where 29 miners died in a series of explosions last month has been placed in receivership.

A third blast erupted today inside the New Zealand mine where 29 workers were killed in an earlier explosion.

Rescuers were waiting for gas levels and the risk of a second explosion to drop today so they can enter New Zealand’s biggest underground coal mine to search for 29 men still missing more than 24 hours after a powerful blast tore through the tunnel.

RESCUE crews waited impatiently outside one of New Zealand’s largest coal mines last night for the all-clear to begin a search for 27 men missing after a powerful gas explosion struck deep underground.