Trapped miners in Chile rejoice over breakthrough with drill

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Trapped miners in Chile rejoice over breakthrough with drill
By Federico Quilodran and Frank Bajak
Associated Press / September 18, 2010

SANTIAGO, Chile — Drilling equipment pounded its way yesterday into one of the caverns where 33 miners have been trapped for a month and a half, completing a bore hole ahead of schedule and raising hopes that the men can be pulled out earlier than expected.

The 12-inch-wide drill guided by a pilot hole half its diameter reached 2,070 feet beneath the surface, puncturing the top of a passage near the chamber in the San Jose copper and gold mine where the men have taken refuge.

The next step is to place a wider drill on the rig and start a hole 28 inches across — wide enough for the miners to get out.

Video shot by the miners and released by the government later yesterday showed scenes of bedlam below when the drill broke through, sending a shower of water and rock down into the chamber.

“Viva Chile’’ the miners cried, hugging each other and posing for the camera with broad smiles and headlamps beaming.



Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/world/latinamerica/articles/2010/09/18/trapped_miners_in_chile_rejoice_over_breakthrough_with_drill/

[Dr.Phool]

1. Some good news for a change.

I hope they all get out safe and sound, as soon as possible.

[Delphinus]

2. Awesome news!

What a wonderful thing to read this Saturday morning!

[Kingofalldems]

3. K and R

[rasputin1952]

4. Great News!!! And ahead of forecasts!

The wider hole holds be much easier to to drill and get those guys out!

I can't imagine the relief these guys are going through.

[canetoad]

5. Great news

[Stellar]

10. WOW, thank you for sharing!

That's amazing! :thumbsup:

[maryf]

15. Thanks for this!!!nt

[maryf]

16. K&R

in solidarity with the workers...

[Judi Lynn]

18. The pictures are a breakthrough for us, canetoad. They add so much more

than we have seen already.

Beautiful arrangment. The images of "la Paloma" and the eventual escape lift are so impressive.

Thank you, so much. :hi:

[Uncle Joe]

6. That is good news.

Thanks for the thread, Judi Lynn.:thumbsup:

[Judi Lynn]

19. Hearing that drill coming through would have been so important to them.

It's not hard to imagine that kind of anxiety and hope.

Thank you, Uncle Joe.

[etherealtruth]

7. Truly worthy of rejoicing

Hopefully, this ordeal will be over for thoe miners soon

[snagglepuss]

8. Wonderful news. Thanks for posting. nt

[Judi Lynn]

20. Thank you, snagglepuss. n/t

[lib2DaBone]

9. Wonderful.. gods speed....

[FedUp_Queer]

11. Yes, great news.

There is something that has been itching in my mind with this since its beginning. Where are the comparisons here with what happened at the Massey Mine in West Virginia? Where are our "elected leaders" calling for the same regulations requiring an apartment where the miners can stay to await rescue? This is a great story no doubt. We should be screaming about why we don't do this in this country.

[Judi Lynn]

21. You're so right! Makes you wonder. Guess our right-wing corporate media doesn't consider it worth

the effort to treat the subject seriously here, as it would require questioning business practices of right-wing mine-owners.

[kayakjohnny]

12. That is so good to hear!!!

I just read this related story yesterday. It's a very well done piece on the day in the life of these miners.

Well worth the read. It's amazing how organized they are about resolving this....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/09/chilean-miners-typical-day

[madmax]

13. Viva Chile!

I'm so glad they didn't tell them that it might take up to 3 months to get them out. A little lie, to see them thru one day at a time was the way to go.

Now get them out!! :bounce:

[progressoid]

14. Wow, has it been that long already?

I'm guessing time went a lot faster for us up here than for those in the ground.

[maryf]

17. K&R

in solidarity with the workers!

[boppers]

22. More good news!

*fingers crossed*

[Judi Lynn]

23. Trapped Chilean miners celebrate national day with meat pies feast

Trapped Chilean miners celebrate national day with meat pies feast
The trapped Chilean miners marked the country’s 200th birthday on Saturday with a traditional feast as the highlight of their unconventional subterranean celebrations.

By Philip Sherwell
Published: 11:17PM BST 18 Sep 2010

Empanada pies stuffed with beef, olives and onions were baked in tubular shape so they could be delivered through the boreholes than connect them to the outside world.

Slices of barbecued steak were also sent down to their refuge half a mile beneath the Atacama desert.

The men had to wash down their meal with soft drinks after doctors vetoed their request for Chilean wine to toast the bicentennial. But they still delivered a rousing rendition of the country’s anthem, captured for the nation via video-link.

A flag signed by the 33 men – there is one Bolivian among them who has been given honorary Chilean status for the celebrations – was sent in the other direction and raised next to the tent camp where relatives are keeping vigil at the surface.

"These 33 miner-heroes, with their iron will, their spirit, their fight, their strength, are an example to all of us of what it means to be Chilean," said senior Interior Ministry official Cristian Barra said as the flag was hoisted.

More:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/chile/8011622/Trapped-Chilean-miners-celebrate-national-day-with-meat-pies-feast.html

[cal04]

24. Trapped miners celebrate independence (video)

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/09/18/chile.mine.independence/?hpt=T2

Half a mile underground, the hollow echo of the Chilean national anthem rings out. And slowly, the red, white and blue Chilean flag is hoisted up a makeshift metal flagpole.

These are the opening images of a new, nine-minute video the 33 miners sent Saturday from the cavern where they're trapped 700 meters (2,300 feet) down. They were putting a brave face on disaster to celebrate Chile's Independence Day in their own way.

It was left to Bolivian Carlos Mamani, the only one of the men who is not Chilean, to record an Independence Day message.

"I would like to send a special message to Chilean President Sebastian Pinera for helping us all in this difficult time. I would also like to send a message of thanks to Bolivian President Evo Morales who has been supporting my family," said Mamani, originally from the Bolivian mining town of Oruro.

At one point in the video, Mario Sepulveda waves a white towel in one hand and his miner's helmet in the other and demonstrates some nimble footwork as he dances Chile's national folk dance known as the "cueca."

[Skittles]

25. K&R for the working men

[Judi Lynn]

26. (President) Pinera visits Chilean mine, speaks with trapped miners

Pinera visits Chilean mine, speaks with trapped miners
By the CNN Wire Staff
September 19, 2010 4:10 p.m. EDT

Copiapo, Chile (CNN) -- Chilean President Sebastian Pinera on Sunday paid a visit to a Chilean mine where 33 miners have spent more than a month about 700 meters (2,300 feet) underground following a mine collapse.

"We have done everything possible, and we have done our best to rescue them alive," Pinera said, speaking in English. "We will succeed in this tremendous effort. When we do not know, but it will be sooner than what you expect."

"When our people unite behind a great and noble cause, there is no one or no thing that can impede us from our objectives," he said.

The San Jose mine, in Chile's northern Atacama Desert, caved in on August 5. The men were initially feared dead, but tied a note to a drill bit on August 22 and sent it to the surface to signal they were alive.

Pinera also visited with the families of the trapped miners Sunday, presenting them with a gift -- a copper plate engraved with the contents of that note, "We're fine, in the shelter, all 33."

More:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/09/19/chile.trapped.miners/index.html?hpt=T2