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16 September 2011
Last updated at 13:15 ET
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Former miner and councillor Ali Thomas said the families faced a massive blow, while Peter Hain, MP, said the rescue workers should be praised
The fourth and final miner trapped 90m (295ft) underground in a flooded Swansea Valley colliery has been found dead.
The men had been trapped in the flooded Gleision Colliery near Pontardawe since Thursday morning.
The bodies of Charles Breslin, 62, David Powell, 50, Garry Jenkins, 39, and Phillip Hill, 45, were all located on Friday.
Around 200 rescuers have been involved over the two days.
Three other miners managed to escape as the flood water engulfed the drift mine when a retaining wall holding back a body of water underground failed.
Two of them have been assisting rescuers, while another was being treated in hospital.
The final death was announced by South Wales Police chief constable Peter Vaughan, who said: "I can't begin to imagine what the families have been going through."
Prime Minister David Cameron said earlier it was a "desperately sad situation".
"The anguish of the families is intense. There's going to be desperate sorrow," he said.
Police said the families were in a state of "extreme grief".
Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan said it had been a "truly devastating day" for relatives.
"Their families told me that the unstinting compassion and support they have received from their friends, the local community and volunteers has been of great comfort to them," she said.
The body of one miner was located at the bottom of the main shaft at Cilybebyll in the early hours of Friday and has now been recovered.
The second body was found in a different part of the mine at 12:15 BST, believed to be close to where he was working, and has not yet been formally identified.
Police confirmed at about 15:00 BST that a third body had been found. At 18:00 BST police confirmed the fourth death.
Archbishop of Wales Dr Barry Morgan, whose father was a miner, said earlier he knew exactly what had been involved in the rescue operation.
"I remember from my boyhood the odd tragic accident," he said.
"These are close-knit communities, they rally round, these families won't be on their own," he added.
"They really offer great support to one another".
The miner currently being treated in hospital had walked from the pit to tell rescuers of dragging and swimming through the water to the mine entrance.
The miner had swallowed pit slurry and it is understood he collapsed before being taken to Morriston hospital.
Meanwhile, Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan said she will be calling a civil contingency meeting in the cabinet office.
She said Prime Minister David Cameron had been in contact while on his way back from Libya.
'Working very hard' Mr Margetts said it was a very "delicate" operation as care had to be taken not to damage the mine's structure. But he said the water levels are receding. Pumps are continuing to remove water from the mine and oxygen is being pumped in.
He said the rescue crews have now gained enough access to get teams down in wetsuits to start the excavation process.
They are continuing to pump out water, excavating the blockages and shoring up the tunnels.
"It is slow and it is steady, but as we're aware with previous incidents, these incidents take time," he said. "We need to do it properly.
Gleision Colliery, in operation since 1993, works coal under a very steep hillside above the banks of the river Tawe.
It is a small drift mine - a mine cut into the side of a hill, where the coal seam is accessed by walking in.
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Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.Former miner and councillor Ali Thomas said the families faced a massive blow, while Peter Hain, MP, said the rescue workers should be praised
The fourth and final miner trapped 90m (295ft) underground in a flooded Swansea Valley colliery has been found dead.
The men had been trapped in the flooded Gleision Colliery near Pontardawe since Thursday morning.
The bodies of Charles Breslin, 62, David Powell, 50, Garry Jenkins, 39, and Phillip Hill, 45, were all located on Friday.
Around 200 rescuers have been involved over the two days.
Three other miners managed to escape as the flood water engulfed the drift mine when a retaining wall holding back a body of water underground failed.
Two of them have been assisting rescuers, while another was being treated in hospital.
The final death was announced by South Wales Police chief constable Peter Vaughan, who said: "I can't begin to imagine what the families have been going through."
Prime Minister David Cameron said earlier it was a "desperately sad situation".
"The anguish of the families is intense. There's going to be desperate sorrow," he said.
Police said the families were in a state of "extreme grief".
Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan said it had been a "truly devastating day" for relatives.
"Their families told me that the unstinting compassion and support they have received from their friends, the local community and volunteers has been of great comfort to them," she said.
The body of one miner was located at the bottom of the main shaft at Cilybebyll in the early hours of Friday and has now been recovered.
The second body was found in a different part of the mine at 12:15 BST, believed to be close to where he was working, and has not yet been formally identified.
Police confirmed at about 15:00 BST that a third body had been found. At 18:00 BST police confirmed the fourth death.
Archbishop of Wales Dr Barry Morgan, whose father was a miner, said earlier he knew exactly what had been involved in the rescue operation.
"I remember from my boyhood the odd tragic accident," he said.
"These are close-knit communities, they rally round, these families won't be on their own," he added.
"They really offer great support to one another".
The miner currently being treated in hospital had walked from the pit to tell rescuers of dragging and swimming through the water to the mine entrance.
The miner had swallowed pit slurry and it is understood he collapsed before being taken to Morriston hospital.
Meanwhile, Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan said she will be calling a civil contingency meeting in the cabinet office.
She said Prime Minister David Cameron had been in contact while on his way back from Libya.
'Working very hard' Mr Margetts said it was a very "delicate" operation as care had to be taken not to damage the mine's structure. But he said the water levels are receding. Pumps are continuing to remove water from the mine and oxygen is being pumped in.
He said the rescue crews have now gained enough access to get teams down in wetsuits to start the excavation process.
They are continuing to pump out water, excavating the blockages and shoring up the tunnels.
"It is slow and it is steady, but as we're aware with previous incidents, these incidents take time," he said. "We need to do it properly.
Gleision Colliery, in operation since 1993, works coal under a very steep hillside above the banks of the river Tawe.
It is a small drift mine - a mine cut into the side of a hill, where the coal seam is accessed by walking in.
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