First Miner FLORENCIO AVALOS Reaches The Surface

 I watched, along with millions of people around the world as 31 year old Florencio Avalos was brought up to the surface for the first time in 68 days. He appeared to be in surprisingly good condition considering what he had been through. He hugged his family and several other people and was whisked off to a triage centre to be checked out. A joyful start to a long process has just begun.
    . . . June


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First of 33 trapped miners reaches surface
This Just In - CNN.com Blogs:

Rescuers clap and cheer as the first miner to be rescued, Florencio Avalos, 31, leaves the capsule and steps onto the surface for the first time in about 68 days. After hugging several people, he is put on a stretcher and wheeled into a nearby triage center.

The first of 33 miners who were trapped in the mine more than two months ago has been rescued.

The rescue capsule carrying Florencio Avalos reached the surface about 16 minutes after the ascent from the miners' refuge 2,300 feet below the surface began. Avalos is the first miner to be rescued.



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The Chilean Miners Could Soon Be Above Ground

Good news for the trapped miners. According to the article below, Chile’s government hopes to have the group out of the collapsed mine later this month after initially saying it would take until Christmas. There are three drills working to reach them and they are making good time. I'm sure that to the men trapped below, every hour saved is precious.    . . . June


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Chilean miners could see light soon:
Eyewitness News: South African construction giant Murray and Roberts said its drill will break through to a group of trapped Chilean miners within the next few days.

After that, the hole left by the pilot drill will be widened to a 70cm diameter to allow a special capsule to pull the 33 men to surface.

The miners are stuck 700 metres underground and are waiting as three separate drills are boring their way down to rescue them.

Fresh reports have said Chile’s government hopes to have the group out of the collapsed mine later this month after initially saying it would take until Christmas.

Murray and Roberts said while the other two drills may well reach the miners earlier, their rescue shaft will not be ready before mid-November. 


The company’s Ed Jardim said, “Our drills are currently 600 metres down of the 700 and that’s the pilot hole. 

Thereafter we’ll start widening the hole to its full diameter. We expect that our pilot hole will break through in the next few days, maybe in a week or 10 days.”



The miners have been trapped underground for two months and are reportedly exercising to stay fit and prepare for their rescue.

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Rescue Capsule 'Phoenix" Arrives at The Mine

One of the rescue capsules has arrived at the Chilean mine according to the following article.The capsule is 21 inches wide and contains tanks of air, a microphone for communications, and equipment to monitor the miner's heart rate and breathing as they are raised to the surface. Both the families and the miners themselves are reminded that their nightmare will eventually end.
    . . . June


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'Phoenix' capsule arrives to rescue Chilean miners
Telegraph:

The first of three rescue capsules, named Phoenix, arrived at the mine on Saturday.

'We have called it Phoenix because I think it will bring about a rebirth of the miners, and a new life for them,' said mining minister Laurence Golborne.

The miners have been trapped 2,257 feet underground since August 5 when the roof of the mine collapsed.
They were discovered alive and well 17 days later, and rescuers have been drilling to reach them since August 31.

Families gathered at Camp Hope, high in the Atacama Desert, applauded and chanted "Viva Chile!" as the six foot high metal cage was unveiled.

"It is what we have all been waiting for," said Elizabeth Segovia, sister of one of the trapped miners.

"Of course we know that there will be difficulties, but now everything will be much easier."

The 420kg capsule, painted in the colours of the Chilean flag, is 21 inches wide and contains tanks of air, a microphone for communications, and equipment to monitor the miner's heart rate and breathing as they are raised to the surface.

Cristina Nunez, wife of trapped miner Claudio Yanez, climbed into the cage and said: "I'm very happy.

Claudio will fit inside perfectly because he's one of the skinnier ones. But all 33 will fit fine. This bring us a step closer to the rescue."

Engineers in charge of drilling to rescue the miners believe that they are likely to be reached in early November.

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Rescue Capsule for Chile Miners only 21ins wide

 The Chile miners will have to climb into a narrow cylindrical pod for the journey to the surface. According to the article below, the steel rescue cage will have an external diameter of just 21 inches and a reinforced roof to protect its passenger against any rocks or debris. This week the miners started an exercise regime to ensure they are kept slim enough to fit into the capsule.
   . . . June


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Chile miners: engineers unveil 21ins wide rescue capsule
Telegraph: Fiona Govan Published: 4:22PM BST 14 Sep 2010

After enduring what is expected to be between three and four months trapped within the San Jose mine the men will have to climb into a narrow cylindrical pod for the ascent - a journey that will take at least an hour.

A technical team from the Chile's Navy will start constructing the bullet-shaped chamber so it is ready when one of three drilling efforts finally bores through the solid rock to create a shaft wide enough to raise the men, who have been trapped since the mine collapsed on August 5.

The steel rescue cage will have an external diameter of just 54 cms (21 inches) and a reinforced roof to protect its passenger against any rocks or debris that may be dislodged during the journey to the surface.
This week the miners started an exercise regime to ensure they are kept slim enough to fit into the capsule.
The men, who will be raised one by one in an operation expected to last several days, will be strapped into the chamber in a harness that will keep them in a secure standing position even if they faint.

A guidance system using wheels to guide it up the shaft should help minimise friction and video link will allow rescuers to communicate with the miner throughout the ascent.

The 2.5m (8ft 2in) long capsule will also be provided with an oxygen supply and a special lighting system and will include an escape hatch and a safety device that the passenger can use to lower himself back to the starting point should it get stuck along the way up.

The device was designed by a naval technical team at the Maestranzas shipyard on the specific orders of Chile's president Sebastian Piñera.

Read on . . .