Chilean President: Trapped miners to be rescued before year-end
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President Sebastian Pinera said Tuesday the 33 miners trapped since 19 days ago in a copper mine in northern Chile could be rescued before the end of the year.
He said the country would do anything possible to rescue those miners, whose demonstration of strength and unity are appreciated.
"They are fine, with faith and are still worrying about the other miners, as they did not know if the rest were able to leave the mine."
Pinera said presidents of Peru, Colombia, Spain and many other countries have called him to express their excitement about the miners being alive.
The miners were plunged into darkness by the Aug. 5 collapse of the mine under a barren mountain in northern Chile's Atacama desert.
They lived on what was supposed to be a two-day emergency food supply under the mine when the outside world finally reached them 17 days after the mine collapse. The rescuers finally drilled a narrow bore-hole down to their living-room-sized shelter after seven failed attempts.
Now food supply can reach them and they can communicate with the outside through a fixed line. Experts said it might take three to four months for the rescuers to dig a hole wide enough to get them out.
