:00:10. > :00:14.Tonight in Wales Today: their worst fears have been confirmed - a
:00:14. > :00:17.community is grieving the tragic death of four miners. The bodies of
:00:17. > :00:20.the men, all local, are being recovered from the mine where they
:00:20. > :00:29.got trapped yesterday. Police say every effort was made to try and
:00:29. > :00:33.save them. We cannot begin to imagine what the
:00:33. > :00:38.families of going through. If we hope they get comfort. We have had
:00:38. > :00:44.so many messages of support from all over the world. Tonight, the
:00:44. > :00:49.Prime Minister has paid this tribute.
:00:49. > :00:54.It is clear the emergency services have done everything they can and
:00:54. > :00:58.have worked incredibly hard. It is obviously a desperately sad
:00:58. > :01:01.situation for everyone concerned. I'm here outside the community hall
:01:01. > :01:04.where the families have been based for the past 24 hours. We're told
:01:04. > :01:07.they are going through a living hell. This is where the news has
:01:07. > :01:12.been broken to them. People are pulling together as the devastating
:01:12. > :01:20.reality of what's happened is absorbed.
:01:20. > :01:30.We feel for these people, the relatives and the miners. We are
:01:30. > :01:43.
:01:43. > :01:47.Good evening. Welcome to Ross Community Centre. It was confirmed
:01:48. > :01:52.that the 4th miner was recovered. Family and friends have been
:01:52. > :01:57.waiting for news for the past 24 hours and this was then used they
:01:57. > :02:03.had been dreading. The news was broken at a press conference. They
:02:03. > :02:08.were told about the efforts, described as humbling. The local MP
:02:08. > :02:18.described the news as a stab through the heart of the community.
:02:18. > :02:20.
:02:20. > :02:27.Tonight, all thoughts are with the The 4th dead miner has been
:02:27. > :02:32.recovered from the mine. I would like to express our deepest and
:02:33. > :02:40.sincere condolences to the family's off Phillip Hill, David Powell,
:02:40. > :02:44.Gethin Jenkins and Charles Bresnan. I cannot begin to imagine what they
:02:44. > :02:49.are going through at this time. We hope they get some comfort from the
:02:49. > :02:53.fact that we have had so many messages of support, not just from
:02:53. > :02:58.Wales, not just the UK, but from all over the world. I have
:02:58. > :03:04.experienced fire officers who have expressed to me, 13 years of
:03:04. > :03:12.service, they have never worked in such conditions like they have had
:03:12. > :03:16.to work in. I can confirm that of the four deceased miners, they were
:03:16. > :03:22.found in close proximity to one another. One was on the exit side
:03:22. > :03:29.of the blockage, the three recovered this afternoon were found
:03:29. > :03:39.together in the area where they had been working. They have since been
:03:39. > :03:40.
:03:40. > :03:47.recovered from the mine. Kenwyn Jones with -- is with me now. -- S
:03:47. > :03:52.Elin Jones. We thought these days were behind s but we are wrong.
:03:52. > :03:58.They hope for the best but now we know, the worst has been delivered
:03:58. > :04:05.to them. Have you spoken to the family's today? I spoke to them at
:04:05. > :04:10.this morning, at a point that they knew that one macro man had died. -
:04:10. > :04:18.- one man had died. How can you explain how people are feeling in
:04:18. > :04:22.those circumstances and Nessie have been there yourself? -- unless.
:04:22. > :04:28.Huge support from the committee, from across the country. Will that
:04:28. > :04:33.be of some comfort? I hope so. The community here have been fantastic.
:04:33. > :04:41.Food and drink has been brought in. Volunteers were making cups of
:04:41. > :04:45.coffee. There has been words of solidarity from all around the
:04:45. > :04:51.world. The rescue services have worked very hard. They have tried
:04:51. > :05:01.their best to get to these men. They weren't successful but it
:05:01. > :05:01.
:05:01. > :05:08.wasn't through want of affairs. -- the Fed. You must be very proud to
:05:08. > :05:13.of the rescue teams. Yes, we had many rescue teams there. Everybody
:05:13. > :05:18.worked together very closely. Nobody could have done more. I want
:05:18. > :05:28.to thank them for the efforts. final word of comfort to the family
:05:28. > :05:29.
:05:29. > :05:31.or community? It is not an exaggeration to say the world
:05:31. > :05:41.stands with these families. They are difficult times ahead for these
:05:41. > :05:44.families. The rescue effort went on throughout the day and we were
:05:44. > :05:50.following events. A day and a half since the mine
:05:50. > :05:55.flooded. As the time passes, the news gets worse. Tonight, the Prime
:05:55. > :05:59.Minister gave his reaction. It is clear that everything that could be
:06:00. > :06:04.done is being done. It is a desperately sad situation and the
:06:04. > :06:10.anguish of the family's is intense. They are worrying about their loved
:06:10. > :06:15.ones and the news is not good. There's going to be desperate Sauro
:06:15. > :06:20.as they come to terms with the loss. At first light, the scale of this
:06:20. > :06:24.operation is apparent. Fresh teams relieving many who have worked for
:06:24. > :06:29.12 hours through the night, trying to have reached the trapped miners.
:06:29. > :06:34.By breakfast, there was news. It didn't give anyone any comfort.
:06:34. > :06:39.They discovered a body. In the pitch black waters, they were
:06:39. > :06:45.unable to say who he was. By lunchtime, a second body was
:06:45. > :06:50.recovered. All families have been informed. No formal identification
:06:50. > :06:58.has been made at this stage. No identities will be disclosed at
:06:58. > :07:05.this time. From a us all, all our sympathy goes out to the family's
:07:05. > :07:09.in what is incredibly difficult situation. By mid-afternoon, an
:07:09. > :07:15.ambulance and other vehicles Exeter beat scene. A third mine had been
:07:15. > :07:20.found dead. Access has been gained into the main shaft. We have
:07:20. > :07:28.cleared the blockish and we have got crews able to enter and
:07:28. > :07:33.searching the myriad of tunnels. It is as slow progress. They have to
:07:33. > :07:37.dig as they going because a lot of debris has been washed through.
:07:37. > :07:44.News that the bodies had been found had been delayed to the waiting
:07:45. > :07:49.families. They test their pain added to the agonising wait.
:07:49. > :07:53.think of a mining accident happening now, it is difficult to
:07:53. > :08:00.imagine. We thought mining were safe and these accidents wouldn't
:08:00. > :08:03.happen again. While a mining does play a part in the life of South
:08:03. > :08:13.Wales still, it is still a dangerous job. The gay scene pits
:08:13. > :08:17.is one of four pits remaining in Wales. -- glacier Now. There was a
:08:17. > :08:22.similar accident to this one when a shaft flooded. Conditions were so
:08:22. > :08:29.cramped in so place -- in places, miners had been cutting call on
:08:29. > :08:33.their hands and knees. When police and emergency services were called
:08:33. > :08:40.yesterday after nine, three miners had escaped, one of those was taken
:08:40. > :08:48.to hospital. The miners were trapped 90 metres underground by a
:08:48. > :08:55.250 metre main route into the mine. The thought of getting into pitch-
:08:55. > :09:01.black water, water full of coal dust, there will be a scary thing.
:09:01. > :09:06.Police divers were not only capable of doing it, they went and did it.
:09:06. > :09:10.They made as much possible -- progress as possible. In their
:09:10. > :09:16.nearby committee, they have been lighting candles in memory of the
:09:16. > :09:20.dead candles. We have opened up the church hall so members of the
:09:20. > :09:24.committee can say a prayer if they would like to. They can light a
:09:24. > :09:33.candle. Then this evening, news that everyone had been dreading,
:09:33. > :09:41.the body of a 4th miner. Phillip Hill, Charles Bresnan, Gary pile --
:09:41. > :09:46.Gary Powell. A press conference was held
:09:46. > :09:50.confirming the body of a 4th miner has been recovered. This community
:09:51. > :09:55.hall has become a focal point, a hub. Family and friends have been
:09:55. > :09:59.waiting inside for use but local members of the committee have been
:09:59. > :10:09.arriving with supplies, trying to give support, comfort. The Red
:10:09. > :10:11.
:10:11. > :10:16.Cross have set up inside. Caroline Evans reports on the community
:10:16. > :10:20.support. This afternoon, the Archbishop of
:10:20. > :10:28.Wales -- the Archbishop of Wales, was the latest leader to come to
:10:28. > :10:33.the community centre. Everybody is thinking about these families today.
:10:33. > :10:37.This used to be a place where there was lots of minds. All of those big
:10:37. > :10:41.mines have closed and we have forgotten that they are still some
:10:41. > :10:47.way people work daily. It is a dangerous thing. For the families,
:10:47. > :10:51.it has been a day of unbearable anxiety. Much of it spent behind
:10:51. > :10:56.closed doors here. Visited by a string of politicians and civic
:10:56. > :11:01.leaders. In the wider community, all sorts have been the families.
:11:01. > :11:04.Some know them personally. Even those who don't come have been
:11:04. > :11:13.doing what they can to show their support.
:11:13. > :11:23.We feel for these people, we feel for the relatives and the people in
:11:23. > :11:24.
:11:24. > :11:30.They have been looking after the people in the community centre. We
:11:30. > :11:40.are all totally devastated. A big shock. It is a small community and
:11:40. > :11:42.
:11:42. > :11:47.you feel for them. I know we have said at prayer groups, that we
:11:47. > :11:57.should pray for phut -- pray for them. Others have helped by making
:11:57. > :11:58.
:11:58. > :12:06.food for the emergency services. is the people behind the scenes
:12:06. > :12:13.that need to be helped. Some of the guys, they have just come back. We
:12:13. > :12:18.are taking food to them. Speaking officially, the deputy Mayor said
:12:18. > :12:22.they would continue to be there for the family. We are a close-knit
:12:22. > :12:29.community and this is going to have a deep impact, particularly as many
:12:29. > :12:37.will know the families or have some contact with them. Clearly it is
:12:37. > :12:42.going to affect us all and we have to stay strong. As the day has worn
:12:42. > :12:52.on, bad news has followed bad news. The mood here tonight, now one of
:12:52. > :12:55.
:12:55. > :13:00.If you just take a look at the scene here at Rhos Community Hall,
:13:00. > :13:05.despite the media attention, what strikes me is the quietness and the
:13:05. > :13:11.sombre mood. Let us talk to Geoff Collins from the Red Cross. You are
:13:11. > :13:17.offering support inside. Tell us what you have set up inside?
:13:17. > :13:21.We were first called in yesterday evening, when we provided blankets
:13:21. > :13:27.and emotional and practical support with trained volunteers and members
:13:27. > :13:33.of staff. Then we formally set up the rest centre in the course of
:13:33. > :13:38.today. Again, providing emotional and practical support. Before we go
:13:38. > :13:42.further, can I, on behalf of the British Red Cross, offer our
:13:42. > :13:45.sincere condolences to all friends and families involved. They have
:13:45. > :13:48.had a horrible day and we stand ready to do anything for them that
:13:48. > :13:54.we can. You have highly trained staff, as
:13:54. > :13:58.you say, inside. What will they be able to tell families?
:13:58. > :14:03.And volunteers, they are also highly trained. They are trained in
:14:03. > :14:08.how to talk to relatives in these tragic conditions. They are trained
:14:08. > :14:14.in how to deal with their emotions and they are also trained to offer
:14:14. > :14:18.practical help. So often it is the practical help they need. As I said,
:14:18. > :14:22.we stand ready to help in any way they can.
:14:22. > :14:27.Geoff columns of the British Red Cross, Thank you.
:14:27. > :14:35.Let us go over it now to Jamie who is at Cilybebyll about a mile and a
:14:36. > :14:40.half away from the rescue operation. There has been two focuses of this
:14:40. > :14:45.tragedy over the last 24 hours. Where you are, the Community Centre,
:14:45. > :14:48.and of course here, just a few yards away from the pit itself.
:14:49. > :14:54.While I have been standing here, we have been watching the emergency
:14:54. > :14:57.services. The ambulance, fire and Cave rescue and all of the
:14:57. > :15:01.emergency crews to have rest you'd -- who have desperate beat spent
:15:02. > :15:05.the last hours hoping today will be different. They are exhausted
:15:05. > :15:10.tonight and do not want to talk to the media. One man said he wanted
:15:10. > :15:14.to get out of his filthy things. His face was covered in black and
:15:14. > :15:19.his hands freezing cold. He said, I want to go back and be with my
:15:19. > :15:24.family. This tragedy tonight has acted as something of a reminder of
:15:24. > :15:28.how once mining dominated Wales and how very dangerous it can be. Our
:15:28. > :15:31.Business correspondent has been looking back at the mining industry
:15:31. > :15:35.in Wales. Mining accidents have formed part
:15:35. > :15:39.of the fabric of Welsh industrial history. Most people could be
:15:40. > :15:45.forgiven for thinking most of those days were over. The vast bulk of
:15:46. > :15:49.the coal industry had gone but some mining activity, like at this drift
:15:49. > :15:55.mine in the Neath Valley, remains. The coal industry employs 1,000
:15:55. > :16:00.people in Wales, most work on opencast sites. 420 people work in
:16:00. > :16:08.underground mining. The UK Coal Authority says there are currently
:16:08. > :16:11.five drift mines in Wales. The miners in Wales described how a
:16:11. > :16:14.small wind like the Gleision Colliery could have changed over
:16:14. > :16:18.the years. 50 years ago there would be a whole
:16:18. > :16:23.host of different situations of safety control. They have different
:16:23. > :16:27.lighting and ventilation now. The distribution of coal, if you like,
:16:27. > :16:32.even though they are shovelling it in many cases, from shovelling to
:16:32. > :16:35.surface is very different. We did have the horses and the ventilation
:16:35. > :16:40.is different. The colliery employs eight people.
:16:40. > :16:44.It is thought it was capable of producing a few hundred tons of
:16:44. > :16:47.coal a week. First of the workers are experienced with traditional
:16:47. > :16:55.skills. Usually the people working in the
:16:55. > :17:00.small mines have a greater range of skills. I think they are better as
:17:00. > :17:06.craftsmen now than somebody who would work at the face and just
:17:06. > :17:13.pushed buttons all day. They have got to set posts, lay track and do
:17:13. > :17:16.a complete range of jobs. They are a more complete, trained,
:17:16. > :17:20.underground miners. In July last year, miners were
:17:20. > :17:23.working under grow at Gleision Colliery in these areas. The owners
:17:23. > :17:27.were then given permission to were then given permission to
:17:27. > :17:30.extend where they could work. At the time, planners at the council
:17:30. > :17:40.sent that the surface area constitutes a difficult environment
:17:40. > :17:46.
:17:46. > :17:49.Mining union officials say the colliery would have been inspected
:17:49. > :17:54.by the Health and Safety Executive at least once a year. Although
:17:54. > :17:59.there were problems with water, they say they were not out of the
:17:59. > :18:03.ordinary for a mind of this kind. It is just on the other side of
:18:03. > :18:09.that mountain that the dramatic events have unfolded this week. I
:18:09. > :18:14.perspective of how dangerous the coal industry can be. This is an
:18:14. > :18:18.old colliery which is now a museum. It was known locally as a dangerous
:18:18. > :18:22.pitch where a lot of accidents would happen. The coal industry in
:18:22. > :18:27.Wales is obviously much smaller morale. It is also generally much
:18:27. > :18:37.safer. One cold veteran told me that once you are in the bowels of
:18:37. > :18:42.the Earth, anything can happen. It takes about half-an-hour to walk
:18:42. > :18:45.up here. The road have been closed by police to allow access to the
:18:45. > :18:50.emergency services. When I walked up here this afternoon, I walked up
:18:50. > :18:54.here with an old guy in his late 70s. He comes out to walk his dog
:18:54. > :18:59.every afternoon. We talked about what has happened in his community.
:19:00. > :19:04.He said, my father died in a mining accident and my wife's father died
:19:04. > :19:09.in a mining accident. You know the routine. He wouldn't be watching
:19:09. > :19:13.the news, he knew the story from a generation ago. But us talk to our
:19:13. > :19:18.correspondent about that. This is one of those generational stories.
:19:18. > :19:21.50 years ago, this was tragically commonplace. It is now so, so
:19:21. > :19:25.unusual. Just to talk about the historical
:19:26. > :19:34.perspective for a minute. It is a salutory reminder for people of a
:19:34. > :19:37.certain generation, they lived with this fear all the time. It is worth
:19:37. > :19:42.remembering that it is only when the coal mines were mechanised in
:19:42. > :19:48.the 1970s that huge numbers of miners stopped dying in industrial
:19:48. > :19:52.accidents like today's. We are not used to having the tragedies in the
:19:52. > :19:56.workplace like we have seen in the last few days here. It is worth
:19:56. > :20:05.remembering just a few months ago four people died at the Chevron oil
:20:05. > :20:09.refinery in Pembrokeshire. Another industrial accident. It shows that
:20:09. > :20:12.heavy industry, and there is a lot of heavy industry in Wales, one of
:20:12. > :20:16.the strong points of the Welsh economy, it is great for the
:20:16. > :20:20.economy but at the same time it brings with it certain dangers and
:20:20. > :20:24.risks. We should say the culture in the workplace has changed
:20:24. > :20:28.dramatically and as a result of that, frankly, events like this are
:20:28. > :20:33.still rare but a reminder nevertheless.
:20:34. > :20:37.Thank you. Three men escaped from yesterday's
:20:37. > :20:44.mine accident. One man is in in a serious condition in Morriston
:20:44. > :20:52.Hospital. Let us go live there to talk to our correspondent.
:20:52. > :20:57.The focus, quite obviously, has been there at the Gleision Colliery.
:20:57. > :21:02.And also at the Rhos community centre. The injured miner at
:21:02. > :21:06.Morriston Hospital is in a stable condition. No real new details have
:21:06. > :21:10.emerged during the day but I have been told unofficially that his
:21:10. > :21:15.condition, quite possibly, isn't as bad as was initially thought. That
:21:15. > :21:19.is good news for him and his family and friends. As we heard earlier,
:21:19. > :21:24.he is one of the three miners who came out of the mind. Three
:21:24. > :21:31.survivors. Two of those miners remarkably managed to help the
:21:31. > :21:35.rescue operation. As the grim news has come out today about the miners
:21:35. > :21:40.that have been fined this afternoon, it is no wonder that the family of
:21:40. > :21:44.the injured miner here have asked South Wales police not to divulge
:21:44. > :21:52.any new information about the condition of the injured miner here
:21:52. > :21:54.at the hospital. Now we go over to the studio in Cardiff.
:21:55. > :21:57.The world of sport is sending its sympathies to the families of the
:21:57. > :21:59.men who've died in the mining tragedy. The Ospreys rugby team
:21:59. > :22:01.will wear armbands in their match against Treviso tomorrow, while a
:22:01. > :22:04.special tribute will be paid before Swansea City's Premier League game
:22:04. > :22:13.against West Brom at the Liberty Stadium. And from the other side of
:22:13. > :22:19.the world, the Wales rugby squad have also sent their condolences.
:22:19. > :22:23.The squad are well aware of the miners that are caught back home in
:22:23. > :22:28.Pontardawe. Our thoughts are look very much with the miners and their
:22:28. > :22:34.families and friends. Very aware of the things happening back at home.
:22:34. > :22:38.On behalf of the squad, we want to send support back to Wales. It is
:22:38. > :22:43.very important to us. Wales have picked the same 15 that
:22:43. > :22:52.lost to South Africa for their next match against Samoa on Sunday. From
:22:52. > :22:57.New Zealand Gareth Lewis reports. Both Wales and Samoa have been
:22:57. > :23:00.based in New Zealand this week. The dramatic setting a prelude to a
:23:00. > :23:04.defining match of the World Cup. Wales have prepared knowing they
:23:04. > :23:08.have to win to keep their hopes alive. So close were they against
:23:08. > :23:12.the Springboks it is the same again with the addition of jet -- of
:23:12. > :23:17.Gethin Jenkins back on the bench after an eight-month injury lay-off.
:23:17. > :23:22.It is the first time Wales have announced an unchanged side since
:23:22. > :23:28.five years ago. J Roberts has been identified as a danger man against
:23:28. > :23:38.Samoa. Captain Sam Warburton and Co can expect a physical battle up
:23:38. > :23:40.
:23:40. > :23:45.front for possession. We all know how important Sunday is.
:23:45. > :23:49.I think we are all very aware that we must go out and match the
:23:49. > :23:54.performance from last week. We must win on Sunday. That is the bottom
:23:54. > :23:57.line. There are no second chances of the Sunday. It is that important
:23:57. > :24:02.to us. We have highlighted a few players
:24:02. > :24:06.who are at all carriers for them. It will the -- it will be a
:24:06. > :24:11.physical charge. When we played them a few years ago, that was a
:24:11. > :24:17.tough test match. We are expecting the same.
:24:17. > :24:20.Wales know what to expect from Samoa. The Pacific Islanders beat
:24:20. > :24:26.Namibia and have a confrontational and explosive style which is
:24:26. > :24:30.unlikely to change. They have named the same side apart from Number Six,
:24:30. > :24:37.they beat Australia in the World Cup warm-up. The vast majority of
:24:37. > :24:40.the squad plays in the top league in England or France.
:24:40. > :24:45.We have us the players' player across the world at top-flight
:24:45. > :24:50.rugby. If last week wasn't quite make or
:24:50. > :24:57.break, this week certainly is. Defeat and Wales' World Cup hopes
:24:57. > :25:05.will lie in the hands of others. In their win against Namibia, Maes
:25:05. > :25:10.lacked discipline. -- Samoa lacked discipline. That should be enough
:25:10. > :25:19.to see Wales win the match but we will see. From the thermal springs
:25:19. > :25:23.in New Zealand, the by. It is looking unsettled for the
:25:23. > :25:28.weekend with strong and St winds. I can promise you a little sunshine
:25:28. > :25:34.as well. Plenty of showers spreading across the country, some
:25:34. > :25:38.with hail and thunder. Tomorrow will bring a mixture of sunny
:25:38. > :25:44.intervals and show was. Hail and thunder. Some dry weather in
:25:44. > :25:49.between, feeling cool and breezy. The wind strong and St. Tomorrow
:25:49. > :25:52.night into Sunday will bring more or rain and showers. Heavy rain in
:25:52. > :25:58.the North with a whisker of localised flooding. By the
:25:58. > :26:06.afternoon, showers should ease. It will feel cool with a brisk north-
:26:06. > :26:11.Let us go back to lose the outside be Rhos community centre.
:26:11. > :26:16.A very sombre mood. We have heard reports that the families left this
:26:16. > :26:21.war after they heard about the death of the third miner as hopes
:26:21. > :26:25.started to fade. Let us speak to councillor Rosalind Davies. A very
:26:25. > :26:30.emotional day for you. You know some of the family's?
:26:31. > :26:38.Very emotional. Yesterday I was hoping that they would all be
:26:38. > :26:43.coming out save, especially with all the expertise that was used.
:26:43. > :26:49.This morning when I heard that one person had died, still hoping that
:26:49. > :26:55.the other three were still alive. The families have been exceptional
:26:55. > :27:04.in the way that they have conducted themselves and the support they
:27:04. > :27:08.were giving to each other, as families together. Of course, the
:27:08. > :27:12.support had has been -- that has been here from the community in
:27:12. > :27:17.Rhos, that has been exceptional, and all the organisations that have
:27:17. > :27:20.helped out. People have delivered food, volunteering, no problem at
:27:20. > :27:23.all. That support will continue in the
:27:24. > :27:28.days and weeks ahead as the community comes to terms?
:27:29. > :27:33.Of course, I am sure it will. Neighbours will be helping out.
:27:33. > :27:39.Thank you. Let us return for a final word with Jamie.
:27:39. > :27:42.Lucy, tonight's closing headlines from the BBC: In the last hour it
:27:42. > :27:46.has been confirmed that four men trapped in the mind just up the
:27:46. > :27:51.road from here have lost their lives.