Ecstasy as Chile mine rescue ends

BBC

Chile, 14 October 2010: The capsule carrying Luis Urzua emerged to cheers, songs and applause. Chile’s president has said his country will never be the same again after the extraordinary rescue of the 33 miners trapped deep underground for 69 days. Sebastian Pinera said he thought Chile was "more united and stronger than ever", and "more valued" worldwide. There were earlier ecstatic scenes as Luis Urzua, 54, the last miner out, emerged at the top of the rescue shaft.

 

The 22-hour operation saw each man being winched up in a narrow capsule. They have now been taken to hospital. Some have severe dental infections, and others have eye problems as a result of living in the dirt and darkness of the mine. One has been diagnosed with pneumonia but his condition is not thought to be serious. Health Minister Jaime Manalich nevertheless stressed that all appeared to be in far better condition than expected.

 

President Pinera was waiting at the head of the 624m (2,047ft) rescue shaft at 2155 on Wednesday (0055 GMT on Thursday), when the capsule carrying Mr Urzua emerged to jubilant cheers, songs and applause. The shift supervisor at the San Jose mine, credited with helping the miners endure the early days of their ordeal, embraced the president and said: "We have done what the entire world was waiting for."

 

 

 

 "We had strength, we had spirit, we wanted to fight, we wanted to fight for our families, and that was the greatest thing." Mr Pinera replied: "You are not the same, and the country is not the same after this. You were an inspiration. Go hug your wife and your daughter." He then led the crowd in singing the Chilean national anthem. Watching the rescue on a big screen nearby, the miners’ friends and relatives were showered with champagne and confetti.

 

Six rescuers who were lowered into the mine to supervise the operation held up a banner saying "Mission accomplished." The last of them, Manuel Gonzalez - who was also the first rescuer to go down the shaft - returned to the surface just under two-and-a-half hours later. Before leaving the underground chamber, he turned to a video camera, bowed and waved in triumph.

 

 

 

 

In a televised address to the nation at the mine entrance, Mr Pinera said: "When the last miner exited the depths of the mine, I was moved as every Chilean was." "I want to thank Chilean men and women... who always had words of relief, gestures and smiles. We felt supported by all Chileans, and I want to say that today Chile is not the same country we had 69 days ago."

 

"The miners are not the same people who got trapped on... 5 August. They have come out stronger, and they taught us a lesson. But Chile is not the same either." "I think Chile today is more united and stronger than ever, and I think Chile today is more respected and more valued in the whole world.

 

 

 

"What ended up as a real blessing from God started as a possible tragedy. But the unity, the faith, the compromise, the honesty, the solidarity of the Chileans in those 69 days makes us very proud," he added. The rescue operation began shortly after 2315 on Tuesday (0215 GMT on Wednesday) with Mr Gonzalez being lowered down the 624m (2,047ft) shaft.

 

Mr Gonzalez was supposed to return to the surface and report on the condition of the rescue shaft, before handing over to a paramedic. However, the miner Florencio Avalos instead got into the capsule and was hauled up. The miners wore a "bio-harness" designed for astronauts - which monitors their heart rate, breathing, temperature and oxygen consumption - and sunglasses to protect his eyes from the glare of the desert.

 

Mr Avalos reached the surface at 0010 on Wednesday (0310 GMT) and was greeted by his family, rescuers, President Pinera and the first lady, Cecilia Morel. Bystanders cheered and clapped, and then started chanting "Chile". Following their reunions with relatives, the miners were flown by helicopter to hospital in the nearby city of Copiapo. Outside, barriers have been set up to cope with the crowds of onlookers and journalists.

 

Order of rescue

 

 

Florencio Avalos (31), Mario Sepulveda (39), Juan Illanes (51), Carlos Mamani (23), Jimmy Sanchez (19), Osman Araya (30), Jose Ojeda (46), Claudio Yanez (34), Mario Gomez (63), Alex Vega (31), Jorge Galleguillos (56), Edison Pena (34), Carlos Barrios (27), Victor Zamora (33), Victor Segovia (48), Daniel Herrera (27), Omar Reygadas (56), Esteban Rojas (44), Pablo Rojas (45), Dario Segovia (48), Yonni Barrios (50), Samuel Avalos (43), Carlos Bugueno (27), Jose Henriquez (54), Renan Avalos (29), Claudio Acuna, (35), Franklin Lobos (53), Richard Villarroel (27), Juan Aguilar (49), Raul Bustos (40), Pedro Cortez (24), Ariel Ticona (29), Luis Urzua (54)