Chile miners should be reached 'within hours'

[pampango]

Source: BBC

Rescuers hope to reach the 33 miners trapped underground in Chile within 24 hours, the mining minister says. Laurence Golborne said drilling equipment was being changed in preparation for the final push, but he said it would be three to eight days before the rescue mission would begin.

Mr Golborne said the operation to winch the men out could not begin as soon as the shaft was complete. Engineers would first need to assess whether it had to be coated with metal or was secure enough by itself for rescue capsules to be lowered down.

When the time comes for them to be hauled out, workers will go down into the mine to help them use the rescue capsules.

It is expected to take at least an hour to pull each of the trapped men to the surface - they will each be given sunglasses to protect them from the light, after spending two months with no natural light.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11503646

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Oh, good.

I am so happy to hear this!

[monmouth]

2. Gives me goose bumps. Wonder how this trauma has affected

them mentally. I do hope their families are receiving paychecks, etc.

[Cal Carpenter]

3. I imagine it will effect them all differently

but it will certainly have an impact. Just imagine what it must be like. Two months. I don't think I'd have made it, man. I'd be fucking nuts after 2 months. It's bad enough being in that small space like that - just thinking about folks on submarines or space stations or something, but add to it that you don't know if you'll make it out alive? Sheeee-it.

[Hoyt]

7. I feel like I am suffocating every time I think of those miners. Glad to hear the news.

[northamericancitizen]

4. How do you decide who’ll come out of Chile mine first, and last?

The Globe and Mail http://bit.ly/bKu7Te

[Lochloosa]

5. My guess is that decision has already been made.

What else are you going to do for two months?

[jonthebru]

6. Ge whiz, I may have to break one of my personal rules...

And watch live coverage on one of the "News" channels on the cable TV.