Chilean Miners May Be Trapped Till Christmas

[Pearl]

Thirty-three miners trapped deep underground for 17 days following a collapse at a gold and copper mine in northern Chile have been discovered alive and well. But despite their incredible survival story, the workers now face an even tougher challenge: staying sane and healthy during the four months it will take rescuers to dig them out.

The miners managed to alert rescuers to their location Sunday by tying messages to a rescue probe that drilled 2,257 feet to the bottom of the San Jose mine. "All 33 of us are well inside the shelter," said a note scribbled in red ink, which was read out by Chilean President Sebastian Pinera. A small camera was later lowered into the borehole, which showed the top half of a miner's face. The man was conscious and apparently in good spirits.

A screen shot taken from Chilean National TV shows Florencio Antonio Avalos Silva, one of 33 trapped miners, on Sunday during the first contact with a video camera after 17 days. All 33 miners are alive.

Rescuers now plan to send plastic tubes filled with food and hydration gels down the drill hole. Cameras and microphones will also be ferried into the shaft, allowing the trapped men to communicate with relatives -- which authorities hope will ease some of the stress they will experience while trapped underground.

My God, I cannot imagine what is going through the miners' and their families minds right now. Trapped underground for four months? Will they even survive, physically and mentally?

 

[purpleoscar]

 

[corianderstem]

I can't even begin to imagine. Why is it supposed to take so long? Do they not have the proper equipment for when something like this happens?

 

[Liesje]

I believe there were several cave ins and they are almost 1000 feet below the surface and 4 miles in from the entrance (if I remember correctly), so they will have to carefully dig/drill down to retrieve them. There was another cave in during a rescue attempt and it blocked off that shaft and possibility of rescue.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Good God, four months?!?! Yikes. I'm happy to hear they've survived the initial disaster, here's hoping they manage to get free much sooner than expected so they can be reunited with their loved ones again. Those poor people .

Angela

 

[purpleoscar]

Live link:

ABC News Plus

 

[deep]

that is great news
it appears no lives will have been lost

this would make a great movie, much better than most of the stuff they have been putting out lately.

 

[purpleoscar]

It's definitely a tight fit.

 

[DRay9911]

just got home. missed the first guy come out. watching them get the second one ready.

awesome x 1,000,000,000,000

 

[DRay9911]

this second guy looks like he's going to do the lambeau leap into the crowd on the other side of the barricade

 

[corianderstem]

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Hooray! So happy to hear this news, welcome back to the real world, guys . And a to the people who were able to make this rescue happen a lot sooner than expected, and to everyone who helped keep the guys alive the entire time they were down there. Well done, all.

I saw a shot earlier of some of the family members. The relieved, joyful looks pretty much say it all. Nice to finally see a positive story in the news.

Angela

 

[deep]

these guys don't look like they have been down there for ten minutes, yet alone ten weeks

their hair is not long, they are clean shaven, they aren't even dirty?

this is like that fake NASA moon landing.

 

[PhilsFan]

Considering they've been sending supplies down to them for nearly a month, that's hardly surprising.

 

[AchtungBono]

I will have a lot more to say when all the miners are rescued, but for the moment I will rejoice together with the Chilean people at this wondrous miracle.

 

[coolian2]

is bono at the chilean mine rescue?

 

[Canadiens1131]

I'm hoping we get a detailed memoir of the ordeal from the miners and especially the psychologists involved in the whole thing. There was a very real struggle for control/power between the miners and the surface team according to accounts I've read.

 

[alanah]

I'm watching it on the net right now..hope the rescue is a total success..Viva, Chiiiiiiiileeeeeeee!!!

 

[U2BROTHR]

What do you give miners to wear to protect their eyes after not seeing sunlight for that long..... Oakley's of course!

 

[An Cat Gav]

Great to see such a positive, life-affirming story getting so much coverage on the news, makes a change.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

What about the mistresses?

 

[DRay9911]

What do you give miners to wear to protect their eyes after not seeing sunlight for that long..... Oakley's of course!

thermonuclear protection

What about the mistresses?

lol. i read this in the new york post on the way into work:

Miners had to describe their physical and mental health in detail with teams of doctors and psychologists. In some cases, when both wives and lovers claimed the same man, everyone involved had to face the consequences

 

[MrPryck2U]

Wow, they're up to miner number 22. This is awesome! Watching on CNN. Apparently, the doctor has recommended lots of "sexy time" for the miners for a more healthy recovery.

 

[DRay9911]

makes me wish i had been trapped in a mine for the last two months.

they have been bringing up a miner every 40 minutes. they will be done by the time i go to bed.

i'm bummed msnbc took off the live video off their webpage. i could see that at work. their pop-up player is blocked

 

[MrPryck2U]

This should be one helluva movie! Hopefully, these miners get the compensation they deserve. So, far they've gotten soccer tickets, jerseys, balls and even a year's worth of wine.

 

[BoMac]

Chile miners rescue: miner asks wife and mistress to greet him - Telegraph

 

[DRay9911]

oh my. i had all these images in my head. then i saw the pictures. gah!

thanks bo

 

[BoMac]

You're welcome.

 

[MrPryck2U]

Chile miners rescue: miner asks wife and mistress to greet him - Telegraph

I'm glad this guy is out of the mine, but he sounds like a douchebag. After cheating on his wife for 5 years, he's actually got the balls to ask his wife to be friends with his mistress. If I were the wife, I'd tell him to fuck off too.

 

[pepokiss]

1 more to go!!!