2010 Copiapó mining accident
Encyclopedia
The 2010 Copiapó mining accident, also known as the "Chilean mining accident", began in the afternoon of Thursday, 5 August 2010 as a significant cave-in
at the troubled 121-year-old San José
copper–gold mine. The mine is located deep in the Atacama Desert
, one of the driest and harshest regions on earth, about 45 kilometres (28 mi) north of Copiapó
, in northern Chile
, South America
. The buried men, who became known as "Los 33" ("The 33"), were trapped 700 metres (2,296.6 ft) underground and about 5 kilometres (3 mi) from the mine's entrance via spiraling underground service ramps. The mixed crew of experienced miners and technical support personnel subsequently survived for a record 69 days deep underground before their rescue. Previous geological instability at the old mine and a long record of fines and safety violations for the mine's owners had resulted in a series of accidents, including eight deaths, during the dozen years leading up to this accident. As a result of the mine's notorious history, it was originally thought that the workers had probably not survived the collapse or would starve to death before they were found, if ever.
The people of Chile had just emerged from the devastating 2010 Chile earthquake
and its associated tsunami less than six months before the accident. The nation's tremendous outpouring of public concern for the plight of the 33 lost miners and the Chilean people's strong empathy for the workers' grief-stricken families led the national government to take over the faltering search and rescue operation from the mine's financially strapped owners, privately held San Esteban Mining Company. Eight exploratory boreholes were hastily drilled. Seventeen days after the accident, on 22 August, a note written in bold red letters appeared taped to a drill bit when it was pulled to the surface after penetrating an area believed to be accessible to the trapped workers. It read simply (English: "We are well in the shelter, the 33"). The nation of Chile erupted into a wave of euphoria and demanded that Chile's leaders find a way to bring the trapped workers safely home to their waiting families.
Once the government rescuers knew that the men were alive, Chile implemented a comprehensive plan to both nurture the workers during their entrapment and to rescue the miners from the depths. It included deployment of three large, international drilling rig teams, nearly every government ministry, the expertise of the United State
s' NASA
space agency and more than a dozen multi-national corporations. After 69 days trapped deep underground, all 33 men were brought safely to the surface on 13 October 2010 over a period of almost 24 hours. After winching the last trapped miner to the surface, the mine rescue paramedics, the best available drawn from multiple national agencies, all still underground, held up a sign for the TV cameras reading (English: ""Mission accomplished Chile"), which was seen by a TV/Web audience estimated at more than 1 billion viewers around the world watching the rescue live.
All 33 miners were rescued, almost all in good medical condition with no long-term physical effects anticipated. Two miners were found to be suffering from silicosis
, one of whom also had pneumonia
, while others had dental infections and corneal problems
. Three of the men underwent immediate surgery under general anesthesia for their dental problems. Private donations covered one-third of the US$20 million cost of the rescue, with the rest coming from the mine owners and the government. Various lawsuits and investigations resulting from the accident are still pending as of March 2011.
|event=At 21:56 CLDT
the last of the 33 miners is brought to the surface.}}|event=First three miners released from hospital.}}|event=28 more miners released from hospital, two remain for further treatment; dental and psychological follow-up.}}|event=Mario Sepúlveda discharged from hospital after additional psychological tests.}}|event=Víctor Zamora released from hospital after serious dental surgery.}}|event=Rescued miners honored at the presidential palace, met with President Sebastián Piñera
, posed for pictures with the capsule and played a friendly game of football against a government team at the Julio Martínez Prádanos National Stadium.}}
Sebastián Piñera
and First Lady Cecilia Morel
were present during the rescue. Bolivian President
Evo Morales
was also scheduled to be there but did not arrive in time to see the rescue of the trapped Bolivian miner, Carlos Mamani. Morales visited Mamani at a hospital along with Piñera later in the day. A number of foreign leaders contacted Piñera to express solidarity and pass on congratulations to Chile while rescue efforts were underway. They included the Presidents of Argentina
, Brazil
, Colombia
, Peru, South Africa
, Uruguay
, Venezuela
, and Poland, as well as the Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom
, Spain
and Ireland
, (who also wrote personally to the Chilean president and the Clare
-based designers and manufacturers of the rescue drill). Other foreign leaders including Mexican President
Felipe Calderón
and U.S. President
Barack Obama
praised the rescue efforts and passed on their hopes and prayers to the miners and their families. Pope Benedict XVI
left a video message in Spanish praying for the success of the rescue operation.
After the successful rescue, Piñera gave a speech on location in which he praised Chile, saying that he was "proud to be the president of all Chileans." He invoked Chile's recently passed Bicentennial
celebrations and said that the miners were rescued with "unity, hope and faith." He thanked Chávez and Morales, amongst others, for their calls of support and solidarity. He also said that those responsible for the collapse of the mine would be punished, and that there would be a "new deal" for the workers.
Marc Siegel, an associate professor of medicine at the New York University Langone Medical Center
, said that lack of sunlight could potentially cause problems with muscles, bones and other organs. Jane Aubin, scientific director of the Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis at the Canadian Institute for Health Research
, said the miners would have to be monitored closely. "They haven't been as physically active as you would want [them] to be, so they have undoubtedly experienced some muscle loss," she said. "Probably after that extended period of time, in both a confined space and in relative darkness, they've also probably experienced some bone loss
." The team of psychologists who spoke to the miners daily in the mine will continue to follow their progress.
Officials considered canceling plans for a thanksgiving mass for the men and their families at Camp Hope, on 17 October over fears that a premature return to the site could be damaging. "It's not a good idea that they go back to the mine so soon," said psychologist Iturra. Dr Jorge Díaz, head of the miners' medical team at Copiapó regional hospital said "We have a group of workers who are absolutely normal people, they weren't selected from a group of applicants to be astronauts, nor were they people who underwent rigorous tests, therefore we don't know when the post-traumatic stress syndrome can appear."
Conversely, post-traumatic growth
, positive psychological change experienced as a result of the struggle with highly challenging life circumstances could also result. The triumph of the miners in a highly challenging environment could also increase their self-confidence and strengthen bonds with each other and with their families. "When people are deprived ... it can be really adverse, it can really mess up a person. With these guys, they were together," said Charles Nelson, a psychologist with the operational stress injury clinic at Parkwood Hospital in London, Ontario, Peter Suedfeld, a professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia
, said the men are less likely to have trouble returning to their jobs. "Sailors who have been shipwrecked, for example ... many of them go back to sea," he said. "They'll feel that they can cope with anything that comes up."
Based on their experience, the miners plan to start a foundation to help in the field of mine safety. Yonni Barrios said "We're thinking about creating a foundation to solve [safety] problems in the mining industry. With this, with the experience that we had had, God help us, we should be able to solve these problems." Juan Illanes told El Mercurio "We have to decide how to direct our project so this type of thing never happens again. It needs to be done, but these things don't happen quickly".
On 24 October 2010, the miners attended a reception hosted by President Piñera at the presidential palace in the capital, Santiago, and were awarded medals celebrating Chile's independence bicentennial. Outside, the men posed for photographs next to the Fenix rescue capsule that had winched them to the surface, now installed in the main square in Santiago. Afterwards, at the National Stadium, the freed miners played a football match against a team that included President Piñera, Laurence Golborne the mining minister, and Jaime Manalich the health minister. Team (Hope), led by Franklin Lobos, all wore the number "33", but lost 3-2 to the government team.
In November 2010, miners visited Los Angeles
, appearing in a taping of CNN
"Heroes."
On 13 December 2010, 26 of the rescued miners, including Franklin Lobos
, went on invitation to a Manchester United training session at Carrington, Greater Manchester
in England.}}
In February 2011, 31 of the 33 miners were hosted by the Israeli Ministry of Tourism
for an eight-day pilgrimage of Christian and Jewish holy sites.
On 25 October 2010, ahead of schedule, President Piñera received a preliminary report by the Commission on Work Safety established in response to the incident. The report was a direct result of the Copiapó accident and contained 30 proposals ranging from improvements in hygiene to better coordination between local regulatory authorities. Although the commission had set November 22, 2010 as the date to deliver its final report, it reported that job safety inspections in Santiago and regions throughout Chile had allowed them to obtain a clear picture of the situation earlier than anticipated. In total, the commission held 204 hearings and reviewed 119 suggestions that came from online input.
Throughout the incident, President Piñera stressed that cost was of no object with regard to rescuing the miners. The operation was expensive with estimates surpassing US$20 million, excluding expenses in building, maintaining and securing (Camp Hope). These costs exceed the total business debt of the mine's owner, the San Esteban Mining Company, which currently stands at around US$19 million. The state mining company Codelco contributed about 75% to rescue costs with private companies donating services worth more than US$5 million.
The French credit rating agency Coface declared that the dramatic mining rescue will have a positive impact on Chile's economic reputation. "It provides to international investors an image of a country where you can do safe [sic] business," Coface's UK managing director, Xavier Denecker, said. "It gives a good impression in terms of technology, solidarity and efficiency." Coface rates countries according to the probability of private sector companies being successful. Chile holds its highest rating in South America: A2. The UK, in comparison, is rated at A3.
On 21 October, San Esteban Mining Company Operations Chief Carlos Pinilla and mine manager Pedro Simunovic issued a signed public statement insisting that no company official "had the slightest indication that a catastrophe could occur." Miner Jorge Gallardo asserted that there was no way the owners could have been unaware of the situation since he recorded everything and his daily safety reports were signed by Pinilla in person. Rescued miner Victor Zamora commented "What made me sad was that people were dying because the company did not want to have something safer and only thought about money".
, a well known Chilean writer and former miner, wrote an article for the Spanish newspaper El Pais offering advice to the miners: "I hope that the avalanche of lights and cameras and flashes that is rushing towards you is a light one. It's true that you've survived a long season in hell, but, when all's said and done, it was a hell you knew. What's heading your way, now, comrades, is a hell that you have not experienced at all: the hell of the show, the alienating hell of TV sets. I've only got one thing to say to you, my friends: grab hold of your family. Don't let them go, don't let them out of your sight, don't waste them. Hold on to them as you hung on to the capsule that brought you out. It's the only way to survive this media deluge that's raining down on you."
The UK Daily Telegraph reported that the miners have hired an accountant to ensure that any income from their new celebrity status is fairly divided, including money from expected book and film deals. The men have agreed to "speak as one" when they discuss their experiences. While still trapped, they appointed one of their group as official biographer and another their poet.
As of March 2011, the first of the expected books on the rescue, Under the Earth: The 33 Miners that Moved the World is nearing completion. Another book called 33 Men, Buried Alive: The Inside Story of the Trapped Chilean Miners, by Jonathan Franklin
, a writer for the UK-based The Guardian
, is due for release in early 2011.
The first of many expected TV documentaries was aired by NOVA
on the US Public Broadcasting System on 26 October 2010.
The Fénix 2 capsule used in Operación San Lorenzo has been placed in the Plaza de la Constitución, in front of Chile's presidential palace in Santiago, Chile. Currently, one of the backup capsules is in Copiapó and the other was sent to China for display in Chile's exhibit at the 2010 Shanghai Expo. Discussions are under way for a permanent display of the capsule and possibly a museum. , potential locations include Copiapó
, the city closest to the accident site, and Talcahuano
, 1300 miles (2,092.1 km) to the south, where the capsules were built at a Chilean navy workshop. Since August 3, 2011, the Fénix 2 capsule is displayed at the Atacama Regional Museum in Copiapó
.
Cave-in
A cave-in is a collapse of a geologic formation, mine or structure which typically occurs during mining or tunneling. Geologic structures prone to cave-ins include alvar, tsingy and other limestone formations, but can also include lava tubes and a variety of other subsurface rock formations.In...
at the troubled 121-year-old San José
San José Mine
The San José Mine is a small copper-gold mine located near Copiapó, Atacama Region, Chile. The mine is mostly known for its 2010 collapse which trapped 33 miners underground. Its workings are reached by a long sloping roadway with many spiral turns , not by a vertical mineshaft.-History:The San...
copper–gold mine. The mine is located deep in the Atacama Desert
Atacama Desert
The Atacama Desert is a plateau in South America, covering a strip of land on the Pacific coast, west of the Andes mountains. It is, according to NASA, National Geographic and many other publications, the driest desert in the world...
, one of the driest and harshest regions on earth, about 45 kilometres (28 mi) north of Copiapó
Copiapó
Copiapó is a city in northern Chile, located about 40 miles east of the coastal town of Caldera. Founded on December 8, 1744, it is the capital of Copiapó Province and Atacama Region....
, in northern Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. The buried men, who became known as "Los 33" ("The 33"), were trapped 700 metres (2,296.6 ft) underground and about 5 kilometres (3 mi) from the mine's entrance via spiraling underground service ramps. The mixed crew of experienced miners and technical support personnel subsequently survived for a record 69 days deep underground before their rescue. Previous geological instability at the old mine and a long record of fines and safety violations for the mine's owners had resulted in a series of accidents, including eight deaths, during the dozen years leading up to this accident. As a result of the mine's notorious history, it was originally thought that the workers had probably not survived the collapse or would starve to death before they were found, if ever.
The people of Chile had just emerged from the devastating 2010 Chile earthquake
2010 Chile earthquake
The 2010 Chile earthquake occurred off the coast of central Chile on Saturday, 27 February 2010, at 03:34 local time , having a magnitude of 8.8 on the moment magnitude scale, with intense shaking lasting for about three minutes. It ranks as the sixth largest earthquake ever to be recorded by a...
and its associated tsunami less than six months before the accident. The nation's tremendous outpouring of public concern for the plight of the 33 lost miners and the Chilean people's strong empathy for the workers' grief-stricken families led the national government to take over the faltering search and rescue operation from the mine's financially strapped owners, privately held San Esteban Mining Company. Eight exploratory boreholes were hastily drilled. Seventeen days after the accident, on 22 August, a note written in bold red letters appeared taped to a drill bit when it was pulled to the surface after penetrating an area believed to be accessible to the trapped workers. It read simply (English: "We are well in the shelter, the 33"). The nation of Chile erupted into a wave of euphoria and demanded that Chile's leaders find a way to bring the trapped workers safely home to their waiting families.
Once the government rescuers knew that the men were alive, Chile implemented a comprehensive plan to both nurture the workers during their entrapment and to rescue the miners from the depths. It included deployment of three large, international drilling rig teams, nearly every government ministry, the expertise of the United State
United State
United State may refer to:* Union of Russia and Belarus, sometimes called the United State * United States* United State of Electronica, the Seattle dance/rock band...
s' NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
space agency and more than a dozen multi-national corporations. After 69 days trapped deep underground, all 33 men were brought safely to the surface on 13 October 2010 over a period of almost 24 hours. After winching the last trapped miner to the surface, the mine rescue paramedics, the best available drawn from multiple national agencies, all still underground, held up a sign for the TV cameras reading (English: ""Mission accomplished Chile"), which was seen by a TV/Web audience estimated at more than 1 billion viewers around the world watching the rescue live.
All 33 miners were rescued, almost all in good medical condition with no long-term physical effects anticipated. Two miners were found to be suffering from silicosis
Silicosis
Silicosis, also known as Potter's rot, is a form of occupational lung disease caused by inhalation of crystalline silica dust, and is marked by inflammation and scarring in forms of nodular lesions in the upper lobes of the lungs...
, one of whom also had pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
, while others had dental infections and corneal problems
Cornea
The cornea is the transparent front part of the eye that covers the iris, pupil, and anterior chamber. Together with the lens, the cornea refracts light, with the cornea accounting for approximately two-thirds of the eye's total optical power. In humans, the refractive power of the cornea is...
. Three of the men underwent immediate surgery under general anesthesia for their dental problems. Private donations covered one-third of the US$20 million cost of the rescue, with the rest coming from the mine owners and the government. Various lawsuits and investigations resulting from the accident are still pending as of March 2011.
|event=At 21:56 CLDT
Time in Chile
Continental Chile is situated geographically in UTC−05.Currently, Chile uses 2 different UTC offsets at any given point in the calendar year. Since it practices daylight saving time, in total 4 time zones are used...
the last of the 33 miners is brought to the surface.}}|event=First three miners released from hospital.}}|event=28 more miners released from hospital, two remain for further treatment; dental and psychological follow-up.}}|event=Mario Sepúlveda discharged from hospital after additional psychological tests.}}|event=Víctor Zamora released from hospital after serious dental surgery.}}|event=Rescued miners honored at the presidential palace, met with President Sebastián Piñera
Sebastián Piñera
Miguel Juan Sebastián Piñera Echenique is a Chilean businessman and politician. He was elected President of Chile in January 2010, taking office in March 2010.- Education :...
, posed for pictures with the capsule and played a friendly game of football against a government team at the Julio Martínez Prádanos National Stadium.}}
Reaction to the rescue
Chilean PresidentPresident of Chile
The President of the Republic of Chile is both the head of state and the head of government of the Republic of Chile. The President is responsible of the government and state administration...
Sebastián Piñera
Sebastián Piñera
Miguel Juan Sebastián Piñera Echenique is a Chilean businessman and politician. He was elected President of Chile in January 2010, taking office in March 2010.- Education :...
and First Lady Cecilia Morel
Cecilia Morel
Cecilia Morel Montes is the spouse of the President of Chile Sebastián Piñera, and as such is the First Lady of Chile; she is also the Sociocultural Area Director of the Presidency, for her husband's presidency .-Early Years:Cecilia is the fourth of seven children born to Eduardo Montes Chaigneau...
were present during the rescue. Bolivian President
President of Bolivia
The President of Bolivia is head of state and head of government of Bolivia. According to the current Constitution, the president is elected by popular vote to a five year term, renewable once...
Evo Morales
Evo Morales
Juan Evo Morales Ayma , popularly known as Evo , is a Bolivian politician and activist, currently serving as the 80th President of Bolivia, a position that he has held since 2006. He is also the leader of both the Movement for Socialism party and the cocalero trade union...
was also scheduled to be there but did not arrive in time to see the rescue of the trapped Bolivian miner, Carlos Mamani. Morales visited Mamani at a hospital along with Piñera later in the day. A number of foreign leaders contacted Piñera to express solidarity and pass on congratulations to Chile while rescue efforts were underway. They included the Presidents of Argentina
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
Cristina Elisabet Fernández de Kirchner , commonly known as Cristina Fernández or Cristina Kirchner is the 55th and current President of Argentina and the widow of former President Néstor Kirchner. She is Argentina's first elected female president, and the second female president ever to serve...
, Brazil
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva , known popularly as Lula, served as the 35th President of Brazil from 2003 to 2010.A founding member of the Workers' Party , he ran for President three times unsuccessfully, first in the 1989 election. Lula achieved victory in the 2002 election, and was inaugurated as...
, Colombia
Juan Manuel Santos
Juan Manuel Santos Calderón is a Colombian politician who has been the President of Colombia since 7 August 2010. He previously served as Minister of Foreign Trade, Minister of Finance, and Minister of National Defense.-Career:...
, Peru, South Africa
Jacob Zuma
Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma is the President of South Africa, elected by parliament following his party's victory in the 2009 general election....
, Uruguay
José Mujica
José Alberto "Pepe" Mujica Cordano is a Uruguayan politician and former guerrilla fighter, a member of the Broad Front and current President of Uruguay....
, Venezuela
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
, and Poland, as well as the Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
, Spain
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party . He was elected for two terms as Prime Minister of Spain, in the 2004 and 2008 general elections. On 2 April 2011 he announced he will not stand for re-election in 2012...
and Ireland
Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 7 May 2008 to 9 March 2011. He was head of a coalition government led by Fianna Fáil which until 23 January 2011 had the support of the Green Party and independent TDs.Cowen was also leader of Fianna Fáil from 7 May...
, (who also wrote personally to the Chilean president and the Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
-based designers and manufacturers of the rescue drill). Other foreign leaders including Mexican President
President of Mexico
The President of the United Mexican States is the head of state and government of Mexico. Under the Constitution, the president is also the Supreme Commander of the Mexican armed forces...
Felipe Calderón
Felipe Calderón
Felipe de Jesús Calderón Hinojosa is the current President of Mexico. He assumed office on December 1, 2006, and was elected for a single six-year term through 2012...
and U.S. President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
praised the rescue efforts and passed on their hopes and prayers to the miners and their families. Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
left a video message in Spanish praying for the success of the rescue operation.
After the successful rescue, Piñera gave a speech on location in which he praised Chile, saying that he was "proud to be the president of all Chileans." He invoked Chile's recently passed Bicentennial
Bicentennial of Chile
The Bicentennial of Chile took place on September 18, 2010. Its celebration commemorates the beginning of the Independence process in Chile, with the first Government Junta of Chile on September 18, 1810, and that after eight years, Chile became a free and independent country...
celebrations and said that the miners were rescued with "unity, hope and faith." He thanked Chávez and Morales, amongst others, for their calls of support and solidarity. He also said that those responsible for the collapse of the mine would be punished, and that there would be a "new deal" for the workers.
Miners post-rescue
By 19 October, all 33 of the men had been released from the hospital. All but two of the men were allowed to go home within 48 hours of the rescue. Mario Sepúlveda remained hospitalized for further psychological evaluation over concerns that he had yet to adapt to life outside the mine, but was released on 16 October. Meanwhile, Víctor Zamora remained to receive additional treatment for a dental infection and was released on 19 October.Health concerns
Doctors marveled at how well the men had coped physically with their time underground, but the media frenzy surrounding the men since their rescue concerned Chilean Health Minister, Jaime Mañalich. He asked the media to treat the miners "with dignity and respect", adding that they needed "rest and repose" and a chance to come to terms with the events of the last 70 days. "They are still on an emotional roller-coaster". The medical team's psychologist, Alberto Iturra, warned that the miners were exhausted, "When that happens, your sensitivity rises to the maximum at the same time as your tolerance falls to almost nothing" he stated. Regardless of these issues, President Piñera challenged the men to a friendly soccer game as well as inviting them to state functions including a visit to the presidential palace and the grand opening of a transcontinental highway.Marc Siegel, an associate professor of medicine at the New York University Langone Medical Center
NYU Langone Medical Center
NYU Langone Medical Center is an academic medical center in New York City affiliated with New York University. It was named to the Honor Roll of U.S. News "Best Hospitals" in the nation for 2009-2010. The Medical Center comprises NYU School of Medicine and three hospitals: Tisch Hospital, the Rusk...
, said that lack of sunlight could potentially cause problems with muscles, bones and other organs. Jane Aubin, scientific director of the Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis at the Canadian Institute for Health Research
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Canadian Institutes of Health Research is the major federal agency responsible for funding health research in Canada. It is the successor to the Medical Research Council of Canada. It aims to create new health knowledge, and to translate that knowledge from the research setting into real world...
, said the miners would have to be monitored closely. "They haven't been as physically active as you would want [them] to be, so they have undoubtedly experienced some muscle loss," she said. "Probably after that extended period of time, in both a confined space and in relative darkness, they've also probably experienced some bone loss
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disease of bones that leads to an increased risk of fracture. In osteoporosis the bone mineral density is reduced, bone microarchitecture is deteriorating, and the amount and variety of proteins in bone is altered...
." The team of psychologists who spoke to the miners daily in the mine will continue to follow their progress.
Officials considered canceling plans for a thanksgiving mass for the men and their families at Camp Hope, on 17 October over fears that a premature return to the site could be damaging. "It's not a good idea that they go back to the mine so soon," said psychologist Iturra. Dr Jorge Díaz, head of the miners' medical team at Copiapó regional hospital said "We have a group of workers who are absolutely normal people, they weren't selected from a group of applicants to be astronauts, nor were they people who underwent rigorous tests, therefore we don't know when the post-traumatic stress syndrome can appear."
Conversely, post-traumatic growth
Post-traumatic growth
Posttraumatic growth refers to positive psychological change experienced as a result of the struggle with highly challenging life circumstances . These sets of circumstances represent significant challenges to the adaptive resources of the individual, and pose significant challenges to...
, positive psychological change experienced as a result of the struggle with highly challenging life circumstances could also result. The triumph of the miners in a highly challenging environment could also increase their self-confidence and strengthen bonds with each other and with their families. "When people are deprived ... it can be really adverse, it can really mess up a person. With these guys, they were together," said Charles Nelson, a psychologist with the operational stress injury clinic at Parkwood Hospital in London, Ontario, Peter Suedfeld, a professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
, said the men are less likely to have trouble returning to their jobs. "Sailors who have been shipwrecked, for example ... many of them go back to sea," he said. "They'll feel that they can cope with anything that comes up."
Activities
On Sunday, 17 October 2010, six of the 33 rescued miners attended a multi-denominational memorial mass led by an evangelical pastor and a Roman Catholic priest at (Camp Hope) where anxious relatives had awaited the men's return. Some of the rescuers who helped bring the miners to the surface also attended. Reporters and cameras mobbed the miners prompting the police to intervene to protect them. Omar Reygadas' family was swarmed by the media after they left the service and his 2-year-old great-granddaughter started crying when pushed by the crowd. As Reygadas picked her up the cameras zoomed in. Reygadas stayed calm but offered his only answer in response to their questions: "I've had nightmares these days," Reygadas said from inside a small tent while reporters jockeyed for position, "but the worst nightmare is all of you."Based on their experience, the miners plan to start a foundation to help in the field of mine safety. Yonni Barrios said "We're thinking about creating a foundation to solve [safety] problems in the mining industry. With this, with the experience that we had had, God help us, we should be able to solve these problems." Juan Illanes told El Mercurio "We have to decide how to direct our project so this type of thing never happens again. It needs to be done, but these things don't happen quickly".
On 24 October 2010, the miners attended a reception hosted by President Piñera at the presidential palace in the capital, Santiago, and were awarded medals celebrating Chile's independence bicentennial. Outside, the men posed for photographs next to the Fenix rescue capsule that had winched them to the surface, now installed in the main square in Santiago. Afterwards, at the National Stadium, the freed miners played a football match against a team that included President Piñera, Laurence Golborne the mining minister, and Jaime Manalich the health minister. Team (Hope), led by Franklin Lobos, all wore the number "33", but lost 3-2 to the government team.
In November 2010, miners visited Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, appearing in a taping of CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
"Heroes."
On 13 December 2010, 26 of the rescued miners, including Franklin Lobos
Franklin Lobos
Franklin Erasmo Lobos Ramírez is a retired Chilean footballer. Lobos debuted in 1980 for Regional Atacama, and retired in 1995, playing for the same club he started his career with. He was nicknamed El Mortero Mágico...
, went on invitation to a Manchester United training session at Carrington, Greater Manchester
Carrington, Greater Manchester
Carrington is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, Greater Manchester, England. Historically a part of Cheshire, the village is west of Greater Manchester Urban Area, and is the site of a large gas and chemical works, which produce gases by fractional distillation of...
in England.}}
In February 2011, 31 of the 33 miners were hosted by the Israeli Ministry of Tourism
Tourism Minister of Israel
The Tourism Minister of Israel is the political head of the Israeli Ministry of Tourism and a relatively minor position in the Israeli cabinet. The position is currently held by Stas Misezhnikov of Yisrael Beiteinu....
for an eight-day pilgrimage of Christian and Jewish holy sites.
Legacy of the accident
Political
Immediately following the San José mine collapse, President Piñera dismissed top officials from the Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería de Chile (SERNAGEOMIN), Chile's mining regulatory agency and vowed to undertake a major overhaul of the department in light of the accident. In the days following the collapse, eighteen mines were shut down and a further 300 put under threat of possible closure. the San José mine's long-term future is unclear; it is currently closed and will remain in limbo for an extended period as judicial processes are followed.On 25 October 2010, ahead of schedule, President Piñera received a preliminary report by the Commission on Work Safety established in response to the incident. The report was a direct result of the Copiapó accident and contained 30 proposals ranging from improvements in hygiene to better coordination between local regulatory authorities. Although the commission had set November 22, 2010 as the date to deliver its final report, it reported that job safety inspections in Santiago and regions throughout Chile had allowed them to obtain a clear picture of the situation earlier than anticipated. In total, the commission held 204 hearings and reviewed 119 suggestions that came from online input.
Throughout the incident, President Piñera stressed that cost was of no object with regard to rescuing the miners. The operation was expensive with estimates surpassing US$20 million, excluding expenses in building, maintaining and securing (Camp Hope). These costs exceed the total business debt of the mine's owner, the San Esteban Mining Company, which currently stands at around US$19 million. The state mining company Codelco contributed about 75% to rescue costs with private companies donating services worth more than US$5 million.
The French credit rating agency Coface declared that the dramatic mining rescue will have a positive impact on Chile's economic reputation. "It provides to international investors an image of a country where you can do safe [sic] business," Coface's UK managing director, Xavier Denecker, said. "It gives a good impression in terms of technology, solidarity and efficiency." Coface rates countries according to the probability of private sector companies being successful. Chile holds its highest rating in South America: A2. The UK, in comparison, is rated at A3.
Legal
Following the accident, a lawsuit was filed against the San Esteban Mining Company by relatives of those trapped, while a judge froze US$2 million of its assets. A lawyer for several of the miners' families described this as a refutation of the company's claims of "not having even enough money to pay salaries".On 21 October, San Esteban Mining Company Operations Chief Carlos Pinilla and mine manager Pedro Simunovic issued a signed public statement insisting that no company official "had the slightest indication that a catastrophe could occur." Miner Jorge Gallardo asserted that there was no way the owners could have been unaware of the situation since he recorded everything and his daily safety reports were signed by Pinilla in person. Rescued miner Victor Zamora commented "What made me sad was that people were dying because the company did not want to have something safer and only thought about money".
Social
Hernán Rivera LetelierHernán Rivera Letelier
Hernán Rivera Letelier is a Chilean novelist. Until the age of 11 he lived in the Algorta saltpeter mining town. When it was closed down, he and his family moved to Antofagasta, where his mother died. His siblings went to live with his aunts. He stayed in Antofagasta, alone, until he was about 11....
, a well known Chilean writer and former miner, wrote an article for the Spanish newspaper El Pais offering advice to the miners: "I hope that the avalanche of lights and cameras and flashes that is rushing towards you is a light one. It's true that you've survived a long season in hell, but, when all's said and done, it was a hell you knew. What's heading your way, now, comrades, is a hell that you have not experienced at all: the hell of the show, the alienating hell of TV sets. I've only got one thing to say to you, my friends: grab hold of your family. Don't let them go, don't let them out of your sight, don't waste them. Hold on to them as you hung on to the capsule that brought you out. It's the only way to survive this media deluge that's raining down on you."
The UK Daily Telegraph reported that the miners have hired an accountant to ensure that any income from their new celebrity status is fairly divided, including money from expected book and film deals. The men have agreed to "speak as one" when they discuss their experiences. While still trapped, they appointed one of their group as official biographer and another their poet.
As of March 2011, the first of the expected books on the rescue, Under the Earth: The 33 Miners that Moved the World is nearing completion. Another book called 33 Men, Buried Alive: The Inside Story of the Trapped Chilean Miners, by Jonathan Franklin
Jonathan Franklin
Jonathan Franklin is an investigative journalist and TV commentator on Latin American politics and news. Franklin was born in Manchester, New Hampshire, and raised in Lincoln, Massachusetts, where he graduated from Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School.Franklin attended Brown University in...
, a writer for the UK-based The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, is due for release in early 2011.
The first of many expected TV documentaries was aired by NOVA
Nova
A nova is a cataclysmic nuclear explosion in a star caused by the accretion of hydrogen on to the surface of a white dwarf star, which ignites and starts nuclear fusion in a runaway manner...
on the US Public Broadcasting System on 26 October 2010.
Monument
Chilean President Sebastián Piñera has suggested turning Camp Hope into a memorial or museum in honor of the men.The Fénix 2 capsule used in Operación San Lorenzo has been placed in the Plaza de la Constitución, in front of Chile's presidential palace in Santiago, Chile. Currently, one of the backup capsules is in Copiapó and the other was sent to China for display in Chile's exhibit at the 2010 Shanghai Expo. Discussions are under way for a permanent display of the capsule and possibly a museum. , potential locations include Copiapó
Copiapó
Copiapó is a city in northern Chile, located about 40 miles east of the coastal town of Caldera. Founded on December 8, 1744, it is the capital of Copiapó Province and Atacama Region....
, the city closest to the accident site, and Talcahuano
Talcahuano
Talcahuano is a port city and commune in the Biobío Region of Chile. It is part of the Greater Concepción conurbation. Talcahuano is located in the south of the Central Zone of Chile.-Geography:...
, 1300 miles (2,092.1 km) to the south, where the capsules were built at a Chilean navy workshop. Since August 3, 2011, the Fénix 2 capsule is displayed at the Atacama Regional Museum in Copiapó
Copiapó
Copiapó is a city in northern Chile, located about 40 miles east of the coastal town of Caldera. Founded on December 8, 1744, it is the capital of Copiapó Province and Atacama Region....
.
See also
- Floyd CollinsFloyd CollinsWilliam Floyd Collins was a celebrated pioneer cave explorer in central Kentucky, an area that is the location of hundreds of miles of interconnected caves, including the Mammoth Cave National Park...
was a cave explorer who died after 14 days while trapped underground after a cave collapse in 1925. The accident scene quickly became a national media frenzy. - Kathy FiscusKathy FiscusKathryn Anne Fiscus was a three-year-old girl who died after falling into a well in San Marino, California. The attempted rescue, broadcast live on KTLA, was a landmark event in American television history.-Biography:...
was a young Californian toddler who died after falling down a well in 1949 and whose two day rescue attempt was broadcast live on radio and national TV. - Alfredo RampiAlfredo RampiAlfredo Rampi, nicknamed Alfredino which translates as "little Alfredo" , was an Italian child who died after falling down a well near Vermicino, a village near Frascati, on Wednesday 10 June 1981.-The incident:...
fell down a well and died as a six-year old in 1981 in Italy. The failed rescue attempt was broadcast live for 18 hours. - Jessica McClureJessica McClureJessica McClure Morales became famous at the age of 18 months after falling into a well in the backyard of 3309 Tanner Dr. Midland, Texas, on October 14, 1987. Between that day and October 16, rescuers worked for 58 hours to free "Baby Jessica" from the eight-inch-wide well casing below the ground...
was a Texas toddler who survived being trapped in a well for over two days in October, 1987, while the rescue operation was televised live on CNN. - Quecreek Mine RescueQuecreek Mine RescueThe Quecreek Mine Rescue took place in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, when nine miners were trapped underground for over 78 hours, from July 24 to 28, 2002...
involved a successful rescue attempt of adult, professional miners using a similar rescue capsule in Pennsylvania, July 2002, to rescue a trapped mining crew. - Beaconsfield Mine CollapseBeaconsfield mine collapseThe Beaconsfield Mine collapse occurred on 25 April 2006 in Beaconsfield, Tasmania, Australia. Of the 17 people who were in the mine at the time, 14 escaped immediately following the collapse, one was killed and the remaining two were found alive using a remote-controlled device...
. In 2006, two Australian miners were rescued after two weeks underground.
Official government websites
- Official Website of Chile's Government (Spanish)
- Official Website of the Ministry of Mining (English Overview)
Photos
- Official Chilean Government Images FlickrFlickrFlickr is an image hosting and video hosting website, web services suite, and online community that was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and acquired by Yahoo! in 2005. In addition to being a popular website for users to share and embed personal photographs, the service is widely used by bloggers to...
Photo Sets, October 2010 - High-Resolution, Aerial Image of Mine Site, (large image), DigiMapas, October 2010
- Trapped Chilean Miners Life magazine Slideshow, October 2010
- Chile mine rescue – Jubilation BBC News Slideshow, October 2010
Videos
- Emergency Mine Rescue, NOVANOVA (TV series)Nova is a popular science television series from the U.S. produced by WGBH Boston. It can be seen on the Public Broadcasting Service in the United States, and in more than 100 other countries...
Documentary , PBSPublic Broadcasting ServiceThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
, 53 minutes, 26 October 2010 - Miners Deep Inside Chilean Mine, CBS News, 3 minutes, 27 August 2010
- Rescue Timeline (Plans with Animations), CBS News, 4.5 minutes, 15 October 2010
- Elation As Trapped Chile Miners Found Alive, Sky News, 1 minute, 23 August 2010
- First of 33 Chilean Miners Rescued, CBS News, 1 minute, 12 October 2010
- Final Chilean Miner Rescued, Fox News, 7 minutes, 14 October 2010
- Miners on the Mend After Rescue, Reuters News, 2 minutes, 14 October 2010