"Rescuers went into the Gleision Colliery near Cilybebyll, Pontardawe in the Swansea Valley, where the men have been trapped 90m below ground since yesterday morning, but had to abandon their efforts after about 30 metres.
"There has not yet been any contact with the miners, named by South Wales Police as Phillip Hill, 45, the mine owner from Neath, Charles Bresnan, 62, David Powell, 50, and Garry Jenkins, 39, all from the Swansea Valley.
"Gary Evans of the South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team said: "We brought in some divers to see whether it was possible to go through and speed things up."