Pike River Recovery Agency , ( Māori : Te Kāhui Whakamana Rua Tekau mā Iwa ) is a stand-alone New Zealand Government department . Its stated aim is to work with families who lost loved ones during the 2010 Pike River Mine disaster to plan for decisions on the manned re-entry of the drift of the Pike River Mine . The Agency 's purpose is to gather evidence on the Pike River Mine Disaster with the goals of preventing future mining tragedies , giving the Pike River families closure , and if possible recovering the bodies of the deceased miners . Minister for Pike River Re-Entry Andrew Little announced the formation of the agency on 20 November 2017 , with its formal establishment due to take place on 31 January 2018 . The Pike River Recovery Agency will be an establishment unit within the Ministry of Business , Innovation and Employment . The Agency will also be headed by a Chief Executive recruited by the State Services Commission . The Agency plans to have formulated a plan for mine re-entry by the end of March 2018 . The Government has allocated NZ$ 23 million to funding the agency 's operations and mine re-entry over a three-year period . The Pike River Recovery Agency will also take over ownership of Pike River mine from Solid Energy , which is scheduled to enter into liquidation in mid-March 2018 . After the planned re-entry , ownership of Pike River will return to the Department of Conservation , including a planned Pike29 Memorial Track , as part of Paparoa National Park . On 31 January 2018 , the Pike River Recovery Agency formally came into existence with its headquarters being based in Greymouth on the West Coast . On 19 April , Little entered the Pike River Mine portal with Pike Family representatives Anna Osborne and Sonya Rockhouse to demonstrate that a safe re-entry was possible . He promised that the Coalition Government would re-enter the drift to recover evidence and the remains of loved ones
Pike River Mine disaster
Pike River Mine disaster
Pike River Recovery Agency