[Closed] The trapped Welsh miners.

Oh dear. All four miners have been confirmed dead.

Very sad news. Much love to the people of the Swansea Valley tonight.

xxx

😥 😥 😥 😥

Didnt realise mining still existed like that nowadays!

Me neither- at least in this country. I'm amazed its economic.

Being below an ingress of water into a downwards sloping tunnel didn't leave them much chance.

Very, very sad. I saw the footage of the mine entrance this morning, and as others have said I didn't realise that sort of almost victorian era mining still takes place in the UK in the 21st century.

After Chile you assume that everyone can be rescued.
Very sad news.

Mine in question just down the road from me. Coal prices are quite high at the moment and this mine produced high quality anthracite. When the prices are high the mine is worked when not it is mothballed.

Brings back sad memory's of the Lofthouse mining disaster for me
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bradford/sense_of_place/lofthouse_colliery_disaster.shtml

the sky news coverage has been shocking - I know 2 south walians who have cancelled their sky subscriptions today in disgust

24 hr news is always shite.. ive stopped watching it altogether months ago...this story so tragic, mining is dangerous and mirculous escapes like the chilean story are the exceeption rather than the rule. I know someone whose brother is a policeman who has been involved in informing the families at the mine entrance
- really hard work.

the south wales mines will reopen when economically viable as there is still alot of coal down there and oil is running out.

Godspeed lads.

Very sad news indeed.

😥

Blokes trying hard to make a living, sad news 😥

One man who fell victim to the new cost-cutting coal owners was Phillip Rees, a 32-year-old miner electrocuted at the Blaengrennig colliery in the Amman valley just over a year ago. "The manager called me up and asked if this boy was one of my members," recalls Anthony Jones, the local National Union of Mineworkers official in charge of private mines. "I said I'd have to look in my records. It's just there's been a bit of an accident, he told me. I said I'd come right over anyway. He was dead when I got there. They didn't even know where he lived."

[url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/sep/16/privatised-coal-mines-south-wales ]Guardian article - 17 years agp to be fair[/url]

very sad for them and there families including the mining community

very sad for them and there families including the mining community

These are headlines I thought we would never see again from Wales (or anywhere else for that matter)- truly dreadful news. Thoughts go out to the families.

I have to admit I was totally unaware that there was still mining activity like this. It's a blimming sad story that's for sure 🙁 Not a pleasant way to go and not pleasant for those they have left behind.

😥

A really sad day 😥

Tragic for all involved. You and yours are in my thoughts.

Yes, deep mining does still go on, and more than many people might think.
There is a really sombre mood here in the Amman Valley tonight, just a miles away from Cilybebill.
RIP.

Just checked a news feed on the net I was looking at earlier and my heart totally sank when the somewhat inevitability of the fourth confirmed death was revealed to me. As I said in my first post I can't believe mining still occurs in that manner and obviously i wasn't alone. Also read somewhere they were pulling 200 tonnes a week out of the place, an incredible feat if so.
I hope the memories of the chaps live on for a long time and lessons can be learnt to help keep future miners safe in their work.
RIP lads

Gorffwys mewn hedd.

🙁

Hard-working heroes who I hope will now rest in peace, god rest your souls. 😥

So very sad for the rescuers and the families involved, and then to be filmed almost continuously to fill air time on sky and bbc, dont you media types have any respect for peoples feelings.

am sorry to hear the news.my condolences to all their family and friends 🙁

[url=

Thankfully these events are very rare compared to the carnage that used to take place in the mining industry. Here's how the situation was in 1937:
"In the Debate 10 days ago on the subject of mining the hon. Member for Spennymoor (Mr. Batey) reminded the House that in the last 11 years more than 11,000 men had lost their lives in the hidden depths of our coal mines. He also cited the figure of nearly 2,000,000 persons who have been the victims of notifiable accidents in that same period."

We sometimes mock the Health and Safety lot but generally they are doing the right thing. Sadly they can't stop every tragedy.

What happened on sky?

Nice to see Hain taking advantage.

As cynic-al. What did Sky do? I'm not a subscriber.

I was so hoping those lads would come out alive.

My thoughts with all in South Wales today.

What happened on sky?

Guessing it was their usual brand of mawkish, ghoulish & sensationalist reporting that has no sensitively for those involved in an unfolding tragedy?

Are not all tv channels the same including the BBC, and to be honest we are all just as bad by watching it and fueling it.

A very sad day for the families and friends involved.

It is very sad for the familys but hopefully it will throw some light on how the mines (private) have changed as we seem to be going backwards in the respect of conditions and safety.

Peter Hain is going overboard, 3 people die on the roads everyday and in other accidents

David, one of the 4, is one of my brother-inlaw's cousins. Sad times. However, its shown how much of a great community Ponty and the surrounding area is in view of how much everyone pulled together. ❗

RIP

My old man (@60 years old) still works in a private mine in South Yorks and told me that the machinery they use is just the same as the kit he used as a lad at 16 when he first started.
Wish he would get out of it but he has done nothing else and loves the job.
Tis a worry in times like this when bad things happen.
RIP Lads.