Chile miners to be evacuated soon
October 9th, 2010 - 7:12 am ICT by IANSCopiapo (Chile), Oct 9 (IANS/EFE) Euphoria prevailed Friday among relatives of 33 miners trapped for more than two months in northern Chile, after authorities said their evacuation will start Tuesday at the earliest.
Health Minister Jaime Manalich set the date of the rescue for Tuesday, though another government official, Mining Minister Laurence Golborne, struck a more cautious tone, saying only that the drill closest to the men trapped some 700 metres underground would reach them within 24 hours.
The drill, the T-130, was 585 metres from the miners’ underground shelter early Friday.
“We hope to break through (to the shelter) within the next 24 hours. The speed will depend on how fast the hammer drill can be changed and the drilling velocity; we have to reach the breakthrough point with less velocity,” Golborne said.
“We think it will happen tonight or Saturday morning, but we don’t have the exact time,” he said, adding that after contact is made the tunnel will be analysed to determine if it needs to be lined.
“If not, the timeframe for starting the rescue would be three days, but it could extend to eight days if they decide to (add metal casing to the tunnel). We have a team of geologists to analyse this issue,” Golborne said.
But the health minister’s prediction had already sparked joy and renewed hope among the relatives.
“It’s a very good news, since we were all expecting them to break through first and then give us a date (for bringing the men to the surface),” Lilianet Ramirez, wife of miner Mario Gomez, said.
“I’m very happy … Supposedly after the breakthrough it was going to take another eight days to get them out, but if that’s been moved up I’m happy,” Jessica Yanez, wife of Esteban Rojas, said.
The 33 miners were trapped Aug 5 when a landslide caused a tunnel at the San Jose copper and gold mine in northern Chile to collapse above them, but they managed to survive by taking refuge in a large underground shelter.
Rescuers made contact Aug 22 with the trapped miners, who have been receiving food, water, medical supplies and extra oxygen via small bore holes.
–IANS/EFE
kv
- Countdown to Chilean miners' rescue begins - Oct 12, 2010
- Chile mine rescue enters final phase (Lead) - Oct 12, 2010
- Bolivian miner trapped in Chile to get new job - Oct 10, 2010
- Drill mishap delays Chilean mine rescue - Sep 23, 2010
- Chile set to launch final operation to free trapped miners - Oct 06, 2010
- Trapped Chile miner writes poem on his experience - Sep 04, 2010
- Drilling of rescue shaft for Chilean miners delayed - Aug 29, 2010
- Chillean miners likely to be evacuated on Wednesday, says Mining Minister - Oct 10, 2010
- Trapped Chilean miners discussed cannibalism - Oct 11, 2011
- 14 miners who survived Chile's 2010 accident seek retirement - Jul 04, 2011
- Miners' rescue will take months, says Chile - Aug 24, 2010
- Pele sends autographed jersey to trapped Chile miners - Sep 19, 2010
- Trapped Chilean miners celebrate bicentennial - Sep 19, 2010
- Chilean miners could be rescued by 'end of October' - Oct 02, 2010
- Trapped Chilean miners may be too fat to fit through escape hole by Xmas - Aug 26, 2010
Tags: breakthrough, casing, eight days, euphoria, exact time, geologists, gold mine, government official, hammer drill, health minister, landslide, mario gomez, miners, northern chile, relatives, rescuers, saturday morning, timeframe, underground shelter, velocity