60 Day Ordeal Ends Happily For Chilean Miners

On the 5th of August 2010, a group of
33 Chilean miners were drilling 700m underground when their access tunnel collapsed. Initially thought to be dead, workers drilled a small hole from above and a camera was sent down after 17 days and recorded that all 33 men were alive.

Recovery plans were made immediately and workers pumped oxygen into the hole. The hole was also used to send the miners survival supplies.
It was initially predicted that the miners wouldn’t be rescued until after Christmas.
Fortunately, things moved quicker than expected. Each miner was bought to the surface in a small cage like contraption known as The Fenix Capsule. The capsule could only carry one miner at a time and it took about a half hour per rescue.

Each miner was greeted by cheers, kisses and hugs from friends, family members and rescue workers.
Luis Alberto Urzua Iribarren, who is a father of four was the final miner to be bought to the surface.

Iribarren was instrumental in keeping the men calm during their ordeal which lasted 69 days. He also rationed the supplies and kept communicating with the rescue workers.

It’s a miracle that each man was unharmed.