A gas blast at a mine in New Zealand that killed 29 workers was preventable, an investigation has found, with multiple warnings ignored.
 
Health and safety systems at the Pike River mine were inadequate, and reports of excessive methane levels were "not heeded".
 
A drive for production "before the mine was ready" created the circumstances for the tragedy, the report found.
 
The mining disaster in 2010 was New Zealand's worst in almost a century.
 
"The Pike River tragedy was preventable but administrative and regulatory reforms are urgently needed to reduce the likelihood of further tragedies," the Royal Commission report said.
 
Minister for labour Kate Wilkinson resigned shortly after the report was released. The disaster "happened on my watch", she said, calling stepping down the right thing to do.




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