Nine Peruvian miners rescued after nearly a week

[News_Editor]

Nine Peruvian miners rescued after nearly a week

2012-04-12 15:53:46 GMT+7 (ICT)

LIMA, PERU (BNO NEWS) -- Peruvian rescue workers freed nine Peruvian miners on Wednesday morning after they were trapped underground for nearly a week, officials said. They are in a good condition.

The group of miners were trapped since last Thursday when an explosion set up by the miners went wrong. The accident happened at the Cabeza de Negro copper mine, which is located in the Ica Region of southern Peru.

Although the accident happened on Thursday, rescue operations did not begin until Saturday when workers from mine companies arrived at the scene of the accident. The nine miners were finally rescued on Wednesday morning and were greeted by their family members, as well as Peruvian President Ollanta Humala.

Officials said the miners were in a good condition. They were identified as 59-year-old Jacinto Pariona, his son 32-year-old Roger Pariona; 41-year-old Félix Cucho Aguilar; 34-year-old Edwin Bellido; two brothers, Santiago and Juan Tapia, aged 22 and 23, respectively; 47-year-old Carlos Huamaní; 35-year-old Jesús Ccapatinta Raymi; and Julio César Huayta, whose age was not disclosed.

The copper mine involved in the accident had been abandoned since the 1990s, and the entrance had not been opened up with dynamite explosions as required by law. The miners were therefore illegally working the mine without proper safety conditions.

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