Chile's trapped miners could be stuck until Christmas by Magdalena Rosova

It may take over four months to rescue 33 miners trapped in Chile underground. The miners were trapped on August 5, when the mine collapsed. Miners are staying in an emergency shelter that is placed nearly half a mile below the surface. The rescuers are in contact with them thanks to a 6 inch wide hole that they drilled to the shelter. Now there are also another two holes which allows rescuers to deliver miners food supplies and fresh air. The miners have to wait until the escape tunnel will be drilled. Chilean officials advice miners to do something, exercise and use the time they have. Important is not to get too fat to squeeze through the escape tunnel. The only thing of! ficials do not want to share with the miners is the estimated time it could take to drill them out of the shelter. The officials also asked families to be careful in the letters they write. The miners need a lot of attention, care and psychological support. The miners know it will take time to rescue them but they do not know the details about the estimate. However, some experts think it may take far less than four months to dig them out. Some even say the tunnel may be done in 25 to 30 days. Lilianett Gomez, whose father is in the mine, thinks that the miners themselves knew the best it would not be quick. As miners they knew the work very well, she added. Chilean President Sebastian Pinera called with the shift leader of the trapped miners and asked him what they needed. The leader Luis Urzua responded: "That you rescue us as quickly as possible, and that you don't abandon us.”

related story (sgx18069): http://w! ww.guard ian.co.uk/world/2010/aug/23/trapped-miners-a...

by Magdalena Rosova for Cantell TV (http://cantell.tv)

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