Miners' Rescue Capsule Test Under Way

[CocoaButter]

The rescue operation to bring 33 miners who have been trapped deep underground in Chile for 68 days to the surface has been delayed for more tests.
The preliminary order of evacuees, reported by Chilean TV, is as follows:
1. Florencio Avalos
2. Mario Sepulveda
3. Juan Illanes
4. Carlos Mamani
5. Jimmy Sanchez
6. Osman Araya
7. Jose Ojeda
8. Claudio Yanez
9. Mario Gomez
10. Alex Vega
11. Jorge Galleguillos
12. Edison Pena
13. Carlos Barrios
14. Victor Zamora
15. Victor Segovia
16. Daniel Herrera
17 Omar Reygadas
18. Esteban Rojas
19. Pablo Rojas
20. Dario Segovia
21. Yonny Barrios
22. Samuel Avalos
23. Carlos Bugueno
24. Jose Henriquez
25. Renan Avalos
26. Claudio Acuna
27. Franklin Lobos
28. Richard Villarroel
29. Juan Carlos Aguilar
30. Raoul Bustos
31. Pedro Cortez
32. Ariel Ticona
33. Luis Urzua
Telephone cables and a television camera are about to be installed - this should take about two hours. Then a test-run with the empty capsule will take place.
If all goes well, a rescuer will be strapped into the capsule while it descends the tunnel slowly so he can report on the conditions and what the journey is like. The next time the capsule goes down the tunnel, it will be at speed.
Sky News correspondent Andrew Wilson, who is at the scene, said: "A group of rescue workers are gathered around what looks like a manhole cover - that cover is the top of the tunnel.
"They have been brushing dust and sand from the cover, where the miners will emerge when they are brought out one by one."
The first man expected to be hoisted out will be Florencio Avalos, a miner of eight years' experience at the San Jose mine.
The second due to emerge has not been named but the third man is expected to be Carlos Mamani Solis, a 24-year-old Bolivian who only started work in the mine five days before it collapsed.
And correspondent Emma Hurd, also on site, said relatives of the miners have been called into a meeting with officials.
US President Barack Obama has wished the emergency team well, saying: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the brave miners, their families, and the men and women who have been working so hard to rescue them.
"While that rescue is far from over and difficult work remains, we pray that by God's grace, the miners will be able to emerge safely and return to their families soon.
The miners' two-month ordeal has captured the world's imagination and the delicate process to lift the men to safety is expected to take around 48 hours.
The men face a claustrophobic journey to the surface in a specially-made capsule nicknamed the "Phoenix". It is equipped with oxygen masks and escape hatches in case they get stuck.
Initially, four rescuers will be lowered to prepare the miners for their twisting, 15-minute journey to freedom and their waiting families.
Whoever the first four men out are, they will have been deemed the fittest in body and mind.
Chilean mining minister Laurence Golborne said: "The order of the miners will depend on medical condition and mental condition."
The last out is expected to be Luiz Urzua, who was shift chief when the gold and copper mine caved in on August 5.
In the end, engineers decided to line only part of the narrow, half-mile-long escape route with metal tubes, which are supposed to prevent rocks breaking off the walls and blocking the exit.
As the final preparations were made, Chile's president Sebastian Pinera toured the site and went on to tell the world's media: "I hope that tonight this long journey will end with a very happy end... as a real blessing."
He has promised to greet each miner as they reach the surface.
In tests, the man-size capsule was lowered almost the whole length of the drill shaft without a glitch.
"Progress was a little quicker than expected," added Mr Golborne.
After being extracted, the miners will be ushered through inflatable tunnels to ambulances that will take them to a triage station.
Once cleared by doctors there, they will be taken to another area where they will be reunited with chosen family members.
Next is a 10-minute flight to Copiapo in a military helicopter, where all the miners will be kept in hospital for 48 hours of observation.
f flying is not possible, land ambulances are on standby to drive the men the hour-long journey.
The Chilean health minister Jaime Manalich has likened the rescue process to pregnancy.
He said each time a man exits the escape shaft the mine will be "giving birth to one of its children".
Chilean president Sebastian Pinera - who has demanded changes in mine safety laws - is at the site in the Atacama desert to watch the rescue.
Surprises await the miners on the surface, including invites to watch Real Madrid and Manchester United play, a free holiday in the Greek islands and a gift of £6,200 by a flamboyant singer-turned-mining magnate.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World- ... _Under_Way

[LovelyLadyLux]

I haven't heard much about the Miners since they all arrived safe and sound top-side but it was just sooooo fantastic that they ALL got to see the sun again 'alive'!

[Christine]

Hello LLL, good to see you over here!
Weve heard nothiing of them since the rescue either, but then i dont think we expected to really

[LovelyLadyLux]

All I've heard about the "miners" is that they might become a "made for TV movie".

I really admire(d) those men. To stay together as they did and to last out like they did. I have a feeling I'd be a drivelling mess if that happened to me. That they had the faith and fortitude and training to 'make it' through is so admirable. Then their story is dropped! WHILE we're subjected to all the crap all the movie stars do day by day.

I hope all these fellows are 'rewarded' in some way that makes their lives easier and I hope none of them suffers any long term effects from this.

[Jayway]

I did see a couple of news items that the miners had been given holidays and gifts and some of them are travelling abroad now.