More rescue capsules arrive at Chile mine
- 14 years ago
Two more rescue capsules designed to haul out 33 miners trapped deep below ground in Chile have arrived at the mine head.
The devices - built by the Chilean Navy - join another one which arrived at the site on the weekend and are intended as back-up capsules.
The capsules will be used to winch the men - trapped since an August 5 cave-in - from deep below ground. Rescue work has accelerated this week and hopes are high that the men could be rescued by mid-October at the latest.
The men have been trapped 2,300 feet underground since the accident. Their fight for survival has captivated the country and drawn messages of support from Pope Benedict and World Cup soccer stars.
"I'm so emotional because we didn't expect... we did expect this, but we didn't know at what moment. We are emotional, praying and praying all day and night," said Aurelia Navarro, a relative of a trapped miner.
A group of Bolivians arrived at the mine on Wednesday to show their support for a Bolivian miner trapped below ground - the only non-Chilean in the group.