There's mounting confidence that a manned re-entry of the Pike River Mine will take place early next year.
Thirty-one international experts have been meeting near Greymouth this week and say there's no reason the mine drift can't be entered safely to search for the remains of those who died.
The remains of 29 men still lie deep inside the mine.
Almost eight years since the disaster, the team of experts from around the world is deciding whether it's safe to re-enter the 2.4 kilometre drift.
"The feeling amongst the room is they can't see anything that is a show stopper that we can't put controls around," said Dinghy Pattinson, Pike River Recovery Agency chief operating officer.
Also in the meeting room with the experts have been Pike family members. Their hopes were dashed in 2014 when Solid Energy declared the mine too risky to re-enter, but they didn't stop fighting.
"From what I've been privy to there is absolutely no reason why this can't be achieved," said Anna Osbourne, Pike River family member.
But nobody is saying it will be easy.
The preferred plan would see nitrogen pumped in to neutralise the methane gas that fuelled the fatal explosions.
"Leave that nitorgen over the top of the roof fall area where the previous fire was so you don't reignite the fire," Mr Pattinson said.
“What we've been fighting for such a very long time can be done and can be done safely
Then the drift would be flooded with fresh air, so those entering wouldn't need breathing apparatus.
But getting the official go ahead could still take some time. This plan still has to go through a rigorous risk assessment before being presented to the minister in six weeks time.
"What we've been fighting for such a very long time can be done and can be done safely," Ms Osbourne said.
The number of people in the re-entry hasn't been decided. But it will include police who'll gather evidence about what caused the blast, and retrieve any remains.
"If my son doesn't come out I will still support the families that do get their loved ones out," said Bernie Monk, another Pike River family member.
The experts are confident the hard fought moment to bring some of the men out could happen in March next year.
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