Chilean Miners Rescue Update

The steel covering process of the first 90 meters of the shaft that will bring the trapped miners to the surface, finished at 3 AM in the morning.

The technical teams successfully installed 15 tubes, which means the pipeline route is completed, this was possible because of the T-130 puncher.

Chilean Air Force helicopters were flying over San Jose mine all night long. These flights are done in a practice mode; it’s a simulation of the miners’ transportation that will happen during night, from Copiapó to the regional hospital.

Jaime Mañalich, Health Minister, explained there is only one rescue team trial left.

The beginning of the rescue is scheduled on Wednesday.

Laurence Golborne, Mining Minister, said on a press conference that he has become friends with the miners’ friends and relatives, he affirmed the rescue will begin “during Wednesday,” but he warned it can take more or less time depending on “any inconvenience”.

After the steel covering is complete, a crane is to be installed today in order to move the capsule that will lift miners, after that empty capsule tests will be done.

People who work on the rescue operative decided to uniquely protect, with metallic tubes, the upper section of the 622 meters long and 66 cm diameter pipeline, from which the miners are going to come out in an especial capsule.

There was a huge celebration during the weekend at Esperanza camp because one of the drills reached the workshop were the miners are, 600 meters underground, and the authorities were able to give an approximate rescue date.

The miners talked to their relatives during the weekend “They cried and hugged” to celebrate their rescue.

The capsule path to the surface plus the time it takes it to go down for a miner will last nearly an hour, which is why it will take a while day and a half to complete the rescue. AFP