Celebrations erupt across Chile as miners emerge from underground

[News_Editor]

Celebrations erupt across Chile as miners emerge from underground

2010-10-13 17:37:08 GMT+7 (ICT)

NEAR COPIAPO, CHILE (BNO NEWS) -- After the rescue of Florencio Avalos, Mario Sepulveda, Juan Illanes, Carlos Mamani, Jimmy Sanchez, Osman Araya and Jose Ojeda Vidal, the operation to rescue the rest of the miners continues to northern Chile.

In one of the most complex rescue operations in history, eight of thirty-three Chilean miners safely reached the surface on Wednesday morning to end more than two months of being trapped deep underground.

Hundreds of millions of people in Chile and around the world were glued to television screens as 31-year-old Florencio Avalos Silva exited his rescue capsule after it reached the surface, where he was welcomed by loud applause and cheers of joy.

"The first miner has been rescued in a manner which really does make every Chilean feel proud," said Chilean President Sebastián Piñera after Avalos was rescued. "We still have a long way to go," he cautioned, adding that rescue workers will not stop until every miner has been rescued.

Avalos was welcomed by Piñera and scores of rescue workers but also by his wife, Monica. His son, Laino, who was also there, began crying as his father's capsule reached the surface. Celebrations erupted across the South American country after Avalos safely reached the surface.

Now eight miners have been rescued, the operation will continue to rescue the 31 other miners who are still trapped underground. It could take up to Wednesday night or early Thursday to complete the operation.

The crisis began on August 5 when a part of the San José copper-gold mine in northern Chile collapsed, leaving 33 miners trapped 700 meters (2,300 feet) underground. More than two weeks later, relatives and rescue workers were shocked but relieved to find that the miners had survived and were in a good condition.

Over the next two months, rescue workers drilled several holes to eventually lower a capsule down to evacuate the miners one by one. It was a process that was initially expected to take until Christmas, if not longer, but was already completed last week.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2010-10-13

[jcicero]

It's amazing. The miracle of the rescue of the miners in Chile is on every TV station around the world..........except here in Thailand.

[T_Dog]

The people of Chile and the government there certainly deserve congratulations. An amazing day watching this on CNN and BBC.