It has been 22 days since a group of miners near the city of Copiapó, Chile have seen the light of day. The good news is that all 33 men are alive and well, living 2,200 feet below the surface in a shelter where they have been receiving food, medical supplies, entertainment and even a mini-camera. They were first discovered last Sunday and ever since, have been communicating with a rescue team above.
Just yesterday, a 45-minute video was released revealing that all the men are healthy and surprisingly in good spirits! They were seen showing off their patriotism by chanting and singing the national anthem. One miner gave a tour of the cave and pointed to an area where they play games, have meetings and pray. In speaking to those above ground, another scruffy, half-naked miner said, “Be calm. We’re going to get out of here. And we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your efforts.”
Today, Chilean rescuers will prepare to start drilling an escape shaft down to get the men out as soon as possible. Yesterday, a local judge ordered a $1.8 million freeze for San Esteban Mining, the company responsible for the gold and copper mine, so that it can pay future compensation to the families of those trapped.
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Screengrab via YouTube.