Chilean Miners are rescued!

Scenes of elation erupted on the surface of the San Jose gold and copper mine in Chile’s northern Atacama Desert on 13th October 2010, one of the most important days for not only Chile but the rest of the world as millions of people across the world tuned into watch live TV coverage of the rescue.

At the time of writing this article 24 out of 33 miners had been rescued after being trapped 2,275ft underground for 69 days. Officials hope to have completed the rescue mission by the end of the day.

One by one, the trapped miners climbed into a narrow steel cage, equipped with a gas mask and escape hatches and took their journey through the escape shaft to freedom, where emotional family members and even the Chilean President Sebastian Pinera greeted them. The first miner to be rescued was Samuel Avalos Acuna the 31-year-old second-in-command of the miners because he was deemed to be in the best condition. As Avalos strode out of his capsule, onlookers cheered with the chant ‘Chi! Chi! Chi! Le! Le! Le!’.  The 3 next fittest miners followed, the next group of 10 included the miners with health problems. The last group was the rescue workers who joined the trapped miners prior to their rescue.

Many worry that the miners’ journey up the steel shaft is only the beginning of their recovery, as they face months of temper physical and psychological rehabilitation. At first, the miners will be very tired and weak and will need intense medical attention as they adjust to light and fresh air, an expert warns.

In the capital, Santiago, a chorus of motorists’ horns could be heard throughout the day. In the nearby Capiapo, from where 24 of the miners come from, the mayor cancelled school so both parents and children could observe the rescue. Even as we write this in Buenos Aires, the joyful sound of playful beeping can be heard, lifting the mood of all. Here at Elebaires, we wish the miners well on their journey back to recovery!