The first trapped miner came up out of the "shaft" -- actually a 24-inch diameter pipe -- at about 10:12 p.m. central standard time -- I forgot to check the time, I was so mesmerized by the live video. The link will probably be there as long as the rescue goes on, which could take as long as 36 hours, well into Wednesday morning. There were 33 miners trapped; now there are 32.
Press reports say that the rescuers expect to bring up one miner every hour. It takes the capsule about twenty minutes to bring a man up from the bottom of the mine where the miners are trapped to the surface.
Great to watch. It show the efforts made to heavy industry worker safety. There was a similar event with an Eastern US coal mine around 2000. Not as deep but same basic 36 inch shaft and tube. A dramatic live TV rescue then and now. I wish them the best.
ReplyDeleteI understand the Chilean president and his wife are greeting each miner as they come up. That's an incredible show of support.
ReplyDeleteYou are right, I've been watching last night before sleep, then this morning. The pres goes from the rescue site with the most recent miner coming up, to the triage/pseudo hospital area and yacks it up with the guys - then comes back out when the next miner comes up....
ReplyDeleteCan he run for Pres in 2012? (joke)
Rory
He would have the American Hispanic vote. Bada-bing.
ReplyDelete