Human remains have been found in a&nbsp;New&nbsp;Zealand&nbsp;coal mine, police said on Wednesday, more than a decade after one of the country's worst industrial disasters.

Twenty-nine men were killed after a series of blasts ignited by methane gas ripped through the Pike River mine on the west coast of the South Island in November 2010. Two men managed to escape.

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The mine was shuttered and entry barred for years because of safety concerns. Investigators were eventually allowed access in 2019 following calls from the families of the miners.

Police said images taken late last week during deep boring in the mine confirmed two bodies, with the possibility of a third. However, the remains were far from the mine entrance and could not be recovered.

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"While we have been unable to identify the remains, we are working with forensic experts to see what we can do to confirm their identities," said Detective Superintendent Peter Read.

Investigators believe there were six to eight people working in the area where the remains were found, he added.

Human remains have been found in a New Zealand coal mine, police said on Wednesday, more than a decade after one of the country's worst industrial disasters. Twenty-nine men were killed after a series of blasts ignited by methane gas ripped through the Pike River mine on the west coast of the South Island in November 2010.

Human remains have been found in a New Zealand coal mine, police said on Wednesday, more than a decade after one of the country's worst industrial disasters. Twenty-nine men were killed after a series of blasts ignited by methane gas ripped through the Pike River mine on the west coast of the South Island in November 2010. Two men managed to escape. Also read | Keep your jaw shut: New Zealand researchers' new 'weight loss' device labelled as 'torture' The mine was shuttered and entry barred for years because of safety concerns. Investigators were eventually allowed access in 2019 following calls from the families of the miners. Police said images taken late last week during deep boring in the mine confirmed two bodies, with the possibility of a third. However, the remains were far from the mine entrance and could not be recovered. Also read | After euthanasia and marijuana, New Zealand targets smoking "While we have been unable to identify the remains, we are working with forensic experts to see what we can do to confirm their identities," said Detective Superintendent Peter Read. Investigators believe there were six to eight people working in the area where the remains were found, he added.

New Zealand police find human remains in disaster-stricken mine after 11 years

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-order-to-stop-lone-wolf-attackers-nations-must-unitenato-chief-241075">The gunman&nbsp;accused&nbsp;of killing 51 people in&nbsp;New&nbsp;Zealand</a>&nbsp;has handwritten a&nbsp;letter&nbsp;from&nbsp;jail&nbsp;expressing his political and social views, prompting <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-zealand-pm-jacinda-ardern-utterly-disagrees-with-trump-tweets-on-congresswomen-236470">Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern </a>to say that should never have been allowed, media said on Wednesday.

The&nbsp;New&nbsp;Zealand&nbsp;Herald had an image of the six-page&nbsp;letter&nbsp;and envelope&nbsp;from&nbsp;the alleged mosque shooter, Brenton Tarrant, sent&nbsp;from&nbsp;Auckland Prison, which was posted&nbsp;online&nbsp;on the controversial imageboard 4chan.

It was said to have been in response to a&nbsp;letter&nbsp;sent to him by a person named Alan who is said to live in Russia.

"I think every&nbsp;New&nbsp;Zealander would have an expectation that this individual should not be able to share his hateful message&nbsp;from&nbsp;behind bars," Ardern was quoted telling reporters in Tuvalu, where she is attending the Pacific Islands Forum.

"Obviously, this is an offender who has a very specific goal in mind, in terms of sharing his propaganda, so we should have been prepared for that."

Prisoners are allowed to send and receive mail and prison directors can only withhold it in certain circumstances.

"We have made changes to the management of this prisoner's mail to ensure that our robust processes are as effective as we need them to be,"&nbsp;New&nbsp;Zealand's Department of Corrections said in a statement quoted in the paper.

The&nbsp;letter&nbsp;mentioned a visit by Tarrant to Russia four years ago, media said.

New&nbsp;Zealand&nbsp;site&nbsp;Newshub said the last two lines of the&nbsp;letter&nbsp;could be read as a call to arms but blanked out what it said.

Tarrant, an Australian, pleaded not guilty to 92 charges stemming&nbsp;from&nbsp;the massacre at two mosques in Christchurch on March 15. He faces trial in May 2020.

The gunman accused of killing 51 people in New Zealand has handwritten a letter from jail expressing his political and social views, prompting Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to say that should never have been allowed, media said on Wednesday.

The gunman accused of killing 51 people in New Zealand has handwritten a letter from jail expressing his political and social views, prompting Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to say that should never have been allowed, media said on Wednesday. The New Zealand Herald had an image of the six-page letter and envelope from the alleged mosque shooter, Brenton Tarrant, sent from Auckland Prison, which was posted online on the controversial imageboard 4chan. It was said to have been in response to a letter sent to him by a person named Alan who is said to live in Russia. "I think every New Zealander would have an expectation that this individual should not be able to share his hateful message from behind bars," Ardern was quoted telling reporters in Tuvalu, where she is attending the Pacific Islands Forum. "Obviously, this is an offender who has a very specific goal in mind, in terms of sharing his propaganda, so we should have been prepared for that." Prisoners are allowed to send and receive mail and prison directors can only withhold it in certain circumstances. "We have made changes to the management of this prisoner's mail to ensure that our robust processes are as effective as we need them to be," New Zealand's Department of Corrections said in a statement quoted in the paper. The letter mentioned a visit by Tarrant to Russia four years ago, media said. New Zealand site Newshub said the last two lines of the letter could be read as a call to arms but blanked out what it said. Tarrant, an Australian, pleaded not guilty to 92 charges stemming from the massacre at two mosques in Christchurch on March 15. He faces trial in May 2020.

Accused New Zealand gunman's letter from jail circulates online

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New Zealand police find human remains in disaster-stricken mine after 11 years

Accused New Zealand gunman's letter from jail circulates online