Chilean rescuers hoisted 33 trapped miners to safety yesterday as millions watched round the globe after a two-month underground ordeal.
In a complicated but flawless operation under Chile’s far northern desert, Luis Urzua, who was shift leader when the mine collapsed in early August, emerged last through 2,050 feet (625 metres) of rock in a metal capsule little wider than a man’s shoulders.
With much of the world transfixed on TV, celebrations erupted and the miners, who set a world record for survival underground, were welcomed as national heroes outside the San Jose gold and copper mine in the Atacama desert.
Rescuers held up a sign in Spanish reading: “Mission Accomplished” before ascending themselves after the 33 miners were evacuated. Some people compared the 24-hour operation to the mid-space rescue of the Apollo 13 crew 40 years ago.
Congratulations poured in from abroad, with U.S. President Barack Obama hailing the rescue as an inspiration to the world.
The evacuation process — via a metal capsule named Phoenix after the mythical bird that rose from the ashes — went quicker and more smoothly than anyone dared to believe, swelling Chileans’ pride at the rescue.
The successful end to the miners’ underground ordeal was particularly welcome to Chileans after the trauma of a massive February earthquake that killed more than 500 people.
