Chile: 100 yards to reach trapped miners
RESCUERS were drilling into the final 330 feet of rock yesterday to reach 33 miners trapped for two months in Chile.
But they were forced to slow down because the main drill was close to a tunnel and in a fault line, which carries a higher risk of collapse.
They hope to reach the men within days but must then decide if the shaft is safe or requires lining before lowering a special rescue capsule.
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Rescue leader Andre Sougarret played down talk that the drill, which has passed a depth of 1,700 feet, might reach the men tomorrow. “We are approaching a difficult rock layer … so it is premature to speak of Saturday,” he said.
The men will each wear special sunglasses to protect their eyes when they emerge into the sunlight. Relatives, who have been camping at the site for two months, are preparing a party to celebrate.