16 Sep 2011

Trapped miner found dead at Welsh colliery

9:24 pm on 16 September 2011

One of four miners trapped 90 metres underground in a flooded coal mine in Wales has been found dead.

Police say the man was found by rescue crews in a very deep part of the mine, but they have so far been unable to recover his body.

Rescuers have been trying to reach the men in the small privately-owned Gleision Colliery near Pontardawe in south Wales since they became trapped after a flash flood on Thursday morning, the BBC reports.

Emergency services are continuing the search and hope the remaining miners have found their way into an air pocket. Rescuers say conditions are favourable and the air supply is good.

Three other miners managed to escape, although one is now in hospital and said to be in a critical condition.

Those who got out said a wall to an old shaft had failed, flooding the main 250-metre route into the mine.

Gleision Colliery has been in operation since 1993.