Chilean miners prep for ride to freedom, possibly midweek

SANTIAGO, Chile — A rescue hole for 33 trapped miners will be shored up today so a capsule can make the half-mile trip down, engineers said Sunday.

Rescue operations chief André Sougarret said a steel sleeve would be inserted into the top few hundred feet of the hole to stabilize the walls. A platform above the hole to lower the capsule also should be complete to allow rescues to begin Wednesday at the San José mine, he said.

The miners, who've been trapped in the gold and copper mine since Aug. 5, could be seen on a video feed cheering and hugging Saturday after a drill working around the clock for weeks broke into their cavern.

On the surface, rescuers sprayed champagne while relatives of the miners danced near tents where they have been staying awaiting word of the rescue. Health Minister Jaime Manalich said the miners are ready for their 20-minute ride to freedom.

Source: www.usatoday.com...

After two months trapped in an underground copper mine, the 33 Chilean miners can breathe a sense of relief as they are hauled out through the specially designed capsule.

CNN is all over this story.

They should be bringing up the first miner in about 3 hours, so turn on your TV and CNN and stay tuned.

I am full of emotion for these miners and their families, imagine the adrenalin and excitement that they are experiencing right now.

I have heard that all 33 miners have vowed that they will NOT be talking to the media about this experience. What happened under ground stays underground.

No one is sure just why they have taken this vow.

I hope they have sent down sunglasses for them, when they hit the daylight they are going to be blinded by the light.

I am so excited for them!

CNN also just reported that there will be a camera in that tube that shows the miners faces as they ascend.

I had to bump this up this is going to happen live folks in a few hours.

Good hope they come out soon, wouldnt like to hug them when they do! imagen....... afraid of the sun light, very hairy, smelling like sh it and trying to hug you

reply to post by Gloster


That's a funny mental image

I can imagine that all of them are dreaming of a hot bath, a huge meal and getting to sleep in their own beds. And possibly lots of sex edit to add, I wonder how many of them will have babies in 9 months heheh

I'm on pins and needles. I hope that the people who designed this capsule utilized these two months to perfect it. I'd hate to see any of those miners come this far only to have something horrible happen right at the end.

I read somewhere that they have been giving the miners plenty of vitamin D to help combat the effects of no sunlight, but I wonder how their eyes will adjust.

All I can say is bless their hearts. I really do want them all to come out of this alive and I respect their decision to not speak to the press.

reply to post by ironfalcon


Chilean presidents speech? What was the emblem of on the stand?
Anyone?

reply to post by jazz10


I didn't see that.

This operation could take 24 to 48 hours, CNN said.

It will just be getting dark when they start bringing them up, to lessen the light shock. It will take about 20 minutes to bring up each man. They will then take each man to a hospital tent on the grounds, then to a reunion tent, then each man will be choppered to the nearest hospital for more tests.

Sounds like this is gonna happen in about an hour.

I am glued to the TV. its hot as hades outside - glad to have an excuse to stay in :-)

They're almost ready to start bringing them up. Fingers crossed all goes well. If it does this is a great story. Almost on a par with Alive, (one of my personal favourites), but instead of the cold, it's the heat and dark.
Live feed here -

Chilean miners rescue – live coverage

www.guardian.co.uk...

Another live feed if you can't get guardian to work.
www.bbc.co.uk...

reply to post by wigit


Thanks for that live link!

Fingers and toes and eyes crossed!

Full coverage on CNN - I hope all goes well. The 15 minute ride up is risky in itself as they could pass out - I wouldn't want to be in a confined capsule between the earth for15 minutes, they will have oxygen.

Capsule is almost ready to go into the shaft. Is it just me or does the door look a bit flimsy? I'm sure I had that little brass catch on a bathroom cupboard once.

I need to go to bed but I don't want to miss this. They're making history here.

Where's the emote for crossed fingers?

Live on BBC TV and website

link

www.bbc.co.uk...

It is indeed history in the making.

I am glued to my chair, got it on CNN and live view on the puter.

They've just said it'll now be another couple of hours before it starts because they're putting cameras on the capsules. Makes you wonder what's the priority here.

reply to post by wigit


They seem determined to delay the rescue until midnight. Wonder.
Some miners won't be seen?
Out of the box I can't help wonder how
1 how did they beat the expected date so well? They weren't meant to reach them until december?
2 what's really going on here? Do their hospitals not have helicopters? The ones there are military.
Its kinda wierd really. Close encounters of the third kind/ decent kind of scenario springs to mind followed soon by the green meteor and its prophecies on its way.
Very busy

The first rescue worker is preparing to go down the hole.

Finally they are starting.

Manuel Gonzalez reaches the miners, he looks very proud

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this is all just incredibly fascinating!

4.11am

12.11am Chile) Here he is. Florencio Avalos has made it out of the mine safe and well. He clambers out of the capsule and hugs his daughter and tearful family. It's a fantastic moment. He goes on to hug the president and the rescue workers.

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