Key moments in the mine tragedy
- November 2010 - The first methane gas explosion hits at about 3.45pm, leaving 29 men trapped
- 24 November 2010 - The second explosion hits at 2.37pm. Police move from rescue to recovery operations
- 29 November 2010 - Cabinet agrees to establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry
- 13 December 2010 - Pike River Coal is placed into receivership
- 10 November 2011 - The Labour Department lays 25 charges against Pike River Coal, Valley Longwall International Drilling and former Pike River Coal CEO Peter Whittall under the Health and Safety in Employment Act
- July 2012 - The sale of Pike River Coal to Solid Energy is confirmed
- 5 November 2012 - The Royal Commission into the Pike River Mine Tragedy makes its report and recommendations public
- 23 October 2013 - The Defence Force completes the first phase of the mine tunnel re-entry plan
- 15 November 2013 - Legislation implementing health and safety recommendations passes its third reading in Parliament
- 12 December 2013 - Charges against former Pike River Coal CEO Peter Whittall are dropped
- 24 December 2013 - Payments begin from a special compensation fund set up after Mr Whittall's charges were dropped
- 4 February 2014 - Second phase of work to re-enter mine tunnel begins
- 10 September 2014 - Two families of mine victims apply for a judicial review of the decision to drop charges