Trapped Miners: Fourth Man Is Found Dead

A Welsh mining community is in mourning after all four men trapped in a flooded colliery were found dead.

Rescuers worked for more than 30 hours but the operation ended in tragedy as police confirmed the discovery of each body.

Phillip Hill, 45, Charles Breslin, 62, David Powell, 50, and Garry Jenkins, 39, all perished in the tragedy at Gleision Colliery near Swansea.

Their families had been waiting at a nearby community centre and initially there was a mood of cautious optimism.

But by 6pm on Friday, all four men had been confirmed dead and their bodies removed from the scene.

South Wales chief constable Peter Vaughan said: "We've tried to bring this safely to its conclusion. Unfortunately the conclusion we have is the one none of us wanted."

Mr Vaughan, who said an investigation would now be launched, added: "I can't begin to imagine what the families are going through."

Prime Minister David Cameron had earlier described the situation as "desperately, desperately sad".

He said this afternoon: "One can only imagine the anguish the families are going through and will go through and the sorrow of losing loved ones."

Mr Cameron added: "It is clear the emergency services have done everything they can and worked incredibly hard and have not lacked for anything."

:: Click here for more pictures of the tragedy

Shadow Welsh secretary Peter Hain said the tragedy had been like a "stab through the heart" of the community but hailed the "superhuman" efforts of the rescue team.

Gleision Colliery, thought to be part of a private mine, is located under a very steep hillside above the banks of the River Tawe.

The small pit flooded at around 9am on Thursday morning when a retaining wall holding back a body of water underground failed.

Seven workers were in the drift mine at the time. It is thought their shift began about two hours earlier. Three others made it to safety.

They have been named locally as Mark Lloyd, 45, Malcolm Fifield and Andrew Powell, 23, the son of David Powell.

The first body was found almost 24 hours into the rescue mission at 8.30am on Friday, the second at 12.15pm.

Police announced the discovery of the third body at 3pm and the final miner was confirmed dead at 6pm.

Richard Smith, chief fire officer for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said the four bodies were all found close together.

One was by the exit of the blockage and had apparently been trying to escape. The other three were found where they had been working.

At the height of the rescue operation, around 200 workers were battling to find the men.

The team managed to clear the blocked main shaft, allowing them to search the network of tunnels but by then it was too late.

It had been hoped the miners would have found an air pocket, allowing them to keep breathing until rescuers arrived.

Welsh first minister Carwyn Jones said: "This is the news we all feared. We thought in South Wales that the days of mining accidents were behind us but we were wrong...

"All that was humanly possible was done but unfortunately we know what the consequences were."

:: South Wales Police have set up a dedicated phone line for worried relatives. The number is 01792 555565.