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17 September 2011
Last updated at 21:50 ET
Church services across south Wales are set to pay tribute to the four miners killed in a Swansea Valley colliery.
Phillip Hill, 45, Garry Jenkins, 39, David Powell, 50, and Charles Breslin, 62 all died in flooded Gleision Colliery near Pontardawe.
Archbishop of Wales Dr Barry Morgan said the tragedy had moved an entire nation and the world.
Relatives have left floral tributes at the scene. A fund for the families raised £20,000 in its first day.
The Swansea Valley Miners appeal fund was launched with the help of local MP Peter Hain, who has been tweeting updates on the amount of money that has been raised.
Mr Hill's daughter Kyla laid a bunch of flowers with a card, which read: "Hi dad, I love and miss you forever. Love you all the money in the world and America. From Kyla x"
The archbishop said he knew first hand what a "tough and dangerous job it was, and still is" as his father was a miner.
"There were many accidents and fatalities in the old days, involving gas or sudden collapses," he said.
"So, my heart goes out to the families of those killed in Gleision Colliery.
"I hope they will gain some comfort from knowing that everyone in Wales is behind them. The whole community is heartbroken for them.
"Prayers will be said for them in churches across Wales this Sunday and I am sure people will continue to offer their support."
'Support and sympathy' A miners' remembrance tribute was held at the church hall in Neath Road, Resolven on Saturday.
The Reverend Peter Lewis, vicar of the Vale of Neath parish, said people would continue to gather to light a candle, pray and leave a message of support and sympathy.
Continue reading the main story Analysis
By Nick Servini, BBC Wales business correspondent
The Gleision Colliery employed eight people and is thought to have produced a few hundred tonnes of coal a week.
The high quality anthracite coal mined here can be sold now for more than £200 a tonne, which has risen by around a third over the past three years.
Mining union officials say although there have been problems with water at the pit in the past, they say that is not out of the ordinary for a mine of this size.
Industry veterans have also spoken of the work being done in small pits of this kind as being relatively unchanged from the work done decades ago because tight spaces make it impossible to get large machinery to the coalface.
However they also said there would still be significant improvements in areas like ventilation inside the shafts.
Phil White, a former director of Tower Colliery, the last deep pit in Wales before it closed, said no matter how much you improve safety "when you are in the bowels of the earth anything can happen".
The events in the Swansea Valley have acted as a reminder of an industry which was once dominant in Wales, as well as a stark reminder of the inevitable dangers that accompany it.
He said the public levels of support were a "massive" help to the families of the miners.
Organisers of sporting events across the region are among those paying their respects.
On Friday a minute's silence was held at the Glamorgan cricket ground in Cardiff, where England faced India.
Swansea City FC held a minute's silence before the team's home Premier League match against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
The Ospreys wore armbands at Saturday's game in Treviso, as did the Llanelli Scarlets at their match against Munster.
A tribute will also be arranged for the Ospreys home game next weekend, and flags at Parc y Scarlets are at half-mast.
Speaking at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, Wales assistant coach Rob Howley said: "This tragedy has shaken all of those who are involved in the national team."
Specialist inspectors An inquiry has been launched into the cause of the incident with safety experts promising lessons would be learned from the investigation.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said it was too early to know what caused the mine shaft to flood with water on Thursday but mining experts said operating near old workings which contain water was always a hazard..
Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan said the inquiry will initially be led by South Wales Police before it is handed over to the HSE.
HSE specialist mine inspectors are on site working closely with the police.
Police have now formally identified the men who died and the order in which their bodies were found.
Mr Jenkins was found first, followed by Mr Powell, Mr Hill and then Mr Breslin. Mr Hill was from Neath and the other three men were from the Swansea Valley.
Three miners escaped as flood water broke through a retaining wall. Two joined the rescue effort, but a third, Malcolm Fyfield, was injured and taken to Morriston Hospital, Swansea.
The incident began at 09:15 BST on Thursday when emergency services were called to the drift mine at Cilybebyll.
Water that was blocking the miners' exit was pumped out of the mine, and oxygen pumped in.
But when divers moved into the mine early on Friday the body of the first miner was discovered at the bottom of the main shaft.
The second man was found at lunchtime, believed to be close to where he was working. Police confirmed during Friday that the remaining two bodies had been discovered.
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Phillip Hill, 45, Garry Jenkins, 39, David Powell, 50, and Charles Breslin, 62 all died in flooded Gleision Colliery near Pontardawe.
Archbishop of Wales Dr Barry Morgan said the tragedy had moved an entire nation and the world.
Relatives have left floral tributes at the scene. A fund for the families raised £20,000 in its first day.
The Swansea Valley Miners appeal fund was launched with the help of local MP Peter Hain, who has been tweeting updates on the amount of money that has been raised.
Mr Hill's daughter Kyla laid a bunch of flowers with a card, which read: "Hi dad, I love and miss you forever. Love you all the money in the world and America. From Kyla x"
The archbishop said he knew first hand what a "tough and dangerous job it was, and still is" as his father was a miner.
"There were many accidents and fatalities in the old days, involving gas or sudden collapses," he said.
"So, my heart goes out to the families of those killed in Gleision Colliery.
"I hope they will gain some comfort from knowing that everyone in Wales is behind them. The whole community is heartbroken for them.
"Prayers will be said for them in churches across Wales this Sunday and I am sure people will continue to offer their support."
'Support and sympathy' A miners' remembrance tribute was held at the church hall in Neath Road, Resolven on Saturday.
The Reverend Peter Lewis, vicar of the Vale of Neath parish, said people would continue to gather to light a candle, pray and leave a message of support and sympathy.
Continue reading the main story Analysis
By Nick Servini, BBC Wales business correspondent
The Gleision Colliery employed eight people and is thought to have produced a few hundred tonnes of coal a week.
The high quality anthracite coal mined here can be sold now for more than £200 a tonne, which has risen by around a third over the past three years.
Mining union officials say although there have been problems with water at the pit in the past, they say that is not out of the ordinary for a mine of this size.
Industry veterans have also spoken of the work being done in small pits of this kind as being relatively unchanged from the work done decades ago because tight spaces make it impossible to get large machinery to the coalface.
However they also said there would still be significant improvements in areas like ventilation inside the shafts.
Phil White, a former director of Tower Colliery, the last deep pit in Wales before it closed, said no matter how much you improve safety "when you are in the bowels of the earth anything can happen".
The events in the Swansea Valley have acted as a reminder of an industry which was once dominant in Wales, as well as a stark reminder of the inevitable dangers that accompany it.
He said the public levels of support were a "massive" help to the families of the miners.
Organisers of sporting events across the region are among those paying their respects.
On Friday a minute's silence was held at the Glamorgan cricket ground in Cardiff, where England faced India.
Swansea City FC held a minute's silence before the team's home Premier League match against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
The Ospreys wore armbands at Saturday's game in Treviso, as did the Llanelli Scarlets at their match against Munster.
A tribute will also be arranged for the Ospreys home game next weekend, and flags at Parc y Scarlets are at half-mast.
Speaking at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, Wales assistant coach Rob Howley said: "This tragedy has shaken all of those who are involved in the national team."
Specialist inspectors An inquiry has been launched into the cause of the incident with safety experts promising lessons would be learned from the investigation.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said it was too early to know what caused the mine shaft to flood with water on Thursday but mining experts said operating near old workings which contain water was always a hazard..
Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan said the inquiry will initially be led by South Wales Police before it is handed over to the HSE.
HSE specialist mine inspectors are on site working closely with the police.
Police have now formally identified the men who died and the order in which their bodies were found.
Mr Jenkins was found first, followed by Mr Powell, Mr Hill and then Mr Breslin. Mr Hill was from Neath and the other three men were from the Swansea Valley.
Three miners escaped as flood water broke through a retaining wall. Two joined the rescue effort, but a third, Malcolm Fyfield, was injured and taken to Morriston Hospital, Swansea.
The incident began at 09:15 BST on Thursday when emergency services were called to the drift mine at Cilybebyll.
Water that was blocking the miners' exit was pumped out of the mine, and oxygen pumped in.
But when divers moved into the mine early on Friday the body of the first miner was discovered at the bottom of the main shaft.
The second man was found at lunchtime, believed to be close to where he was working. Police confirmed during Friday that the remaining two bodies had been discovered.
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