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Chilean Miner Rescue Set for Wednesday

By Jeralyn, Section Foreign Affairs
Posted on Mon Oct 11, 2010 at 10:11:32 AM EST
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The 33 miners trapped in Chile are set to be "extracted" and freed on Wednesday.

Here's how the wives, mothers and sisters are preparing. Movie productions are already in the works.

The Chilean government is providing each miner with six months of psychological support to deal with the media attention. They've already had a day of media training.

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    Chilean Miner Rescue Set for Wednesday | 19 comments (19 topical)

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    We were reading around a few (none / 0) (#1)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Oct 11, 2010 at 11:48:43 AM EST
    days ago about finally breaking through and debates about how much to line the extraction hole.  Several articles pointed out that some of the leaders of Chile worry about mishap for political reasons.  I was immediately shocked.  In my own country we watched our government hope that the people of New Orleans would just disappear.  There didn't seem to be a lot of political fallout either in my opinion.  As Americans, are our souls literally frozen?  How and why?

    No consequences (none / 0) (#16)
    by gyrfalcon on Mon Oct 11, 2010 at 03:41:49 PM EST
    for pols from Katrina?  Boy, that's not how I remember things.

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    Nothing long term (none / 0) (#18)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Oct 12, 2010 at 02:50:37 AM EST


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    Hell, George Bush was even (none / 0) (#19)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Oct 12, 2010 at 02:52:00 AM EST
    appointed to "help" Haiti.  What a horror story that is from my perspective.  How does he rate being granted any humanitarian effort spotlight?

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    Ode to coal miners - (none / 0) (#2)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Mon Oct 11, 2010 at 12:13:22 PM EST
    You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive.

    Chile's coal mining story (none / 0) (#3)
    by christinep on Mon Oct 11, 2010 at 12:21:19 PM EST
    I must be searching of late. Wanting to find good news. Something about perseverance, work, belief. A tale about what could happen when there is a singular, concentrated effort to rescue people and rewrite a situation. Chile seems to be offering that inspirational story. Even amid all the not-so-positive reality of South American mining, somehow this rescue rings true. I sure hope so.

    From Jeralyn's movie link (none / 0) (#4)
    by MO Blue on Mon Oct 11, 2010 at 12:31:08 PM EST
    Trapped miner Victor Segovia began writing about his experience from the beginning, with the aim of publishing it when he finally emerges.

    That should be an interesting read.

    Encouraging news on rescue attempt (none / 0) (#5)
    by MO Blue on Mon Oct 11, 2010 at 12:46:13 PM EST
    SAN JOSE MINE, Chile (AP) -- Rescuers on Monday reinforced the hole drilled to bring 33 trapped miners to safety and then successfully lowered a rescue capsule nearly all the way down to where the men are trapped, showing the escape route works.

    That means that if all goes well, everything will be in place at midnight Tuesday to begin pulling the men out of their subterranean purgatory.

    Andre Sougarett, the rescue leader, said the empty capsule descended 2,000 feet (610 meters), just 40 feet (12 meters) short of the shaft system where the miners have been trapped since an Aug. 5 collapse.
    ...
    It should take about an hour for the rescue capsule to make a round trip, Aguilar told The Associated Press.

    Goldborne said all would be ready by 12:01 a.m. Wednesday because "we have to wait for the concrete to set" around the steel tubing.
    AP
    One of the wives spoke very (none / 0) (#6)
    by ruffian on Mon Oct 11, 2010 at 12:56:51 PM EST
    insightfully and movingly on NPR yesterday, saying that the men coming out are not the same people they were when they went in. Or maybe she was just hoping for a major personality change in her husband!

    It really will be interesting to hear their stories.

    I was wondering how they are choosing the order of the men coming out.

    Order of ascent (none / 0) (#7)
    by MO Blue on Mon Oct 11, 2010 at 01:05:28 PM EST
    Once the steel pipe is installed, workers need to install winches to handle the capsules, and then test the shaft with empty capsules. They will then send down a mine rescuer and a paramedic to help the trapped workers put on NASA outfits that will monitor health on the ascent and ensure that people are in the cage correctly. The healthiest workers will be sent up first, to ensure that the ascent is bearable.

    "We have concerns about acute hypertension during the lifting process," said Health Minister Jaime Mañalich at a press conference Saturday. "We are trying to exercise them a lot with very hard work, to get them use to acute stress during the process that is going to last 15 or 20 minutes."CSM


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    thank you! (none / 0) (#8)
    by ruffian on Mon Oct 11, 2010 at 01:36:33 PM EST
    I did not think about the stress of the ascent itself, but that makes sense.

    I think for once the expression 'the world held its breath' will be accurate.

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    Wondering (none / 0) (#9)
    by sleepingdogs on Mon Oct 11, 2010 at 01:39:11 PM EST
    if they will be offered valium or anything to help them relax during the ascent.  People are offered valium to have an MRI, so it seems reasonable to me that some may wish to have a sedative if it were offered or if it could help the stress associated with the ascent.  Has anyone heard anything about this?


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    If it was me (5.00 / 2) (#14)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Oct 11, 2010 at 03:36:22 PM EST
    You had better send down a bucket load.  Stuck in a tiny capsule surrounded by solid rock for over an hour.  Almost gives me a fricken panic attack just thinking about it.  They'd better send a syringe of something.  These guys probably wouldn't be miners and have such a phobia, but wow...I can't fathom it.

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    This article just emphasized (none / 0) (#10)
    by MO Blue on Mon Oct 11, 2010 at 01:50:32 PM EST
    "concerns about acute hypertension." Another article said that one of the reasons for starting with the healthiest members would allow those miners to aid in correcting any unanticipated problems, if they occurred. If that is the case, then I would think that they would be reluctant to administer anything that wasn't very mild.  

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    I did see where (5.00 / 1) (#11)
    by sleepingdogs on Mon Oct 11, 2010 at 01:59:03 PM EST
    they mentioned the more technically adept would go first to try to work around any unanticipated issues, but yes, I was thinking a mild sedative.  Especially for those miners where the potential impact of stress may outweigh the risk of not being totally clear mentally.  

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    Found this (5.00 / 2) (#12)
    by sleepingdogs on Mon Oct 11, 2010 at 02:03:40 PM EST
    The steel device is designed to provide the miners with oxygen, video screens, wifi communications and a solid roof to deflect falling rock and debris. Although the men are currently in good health and follow a daily exercise programme, the capsules are designed to carry them even if they are unconscious. Sedatives will be used, if necessary, to help the men relax during the estimated six- to 20-minute journey to the surface.

    Emphasis mine.  Quote found here link  

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    Wasn't aware that (none / 0) (#13)
    by MO Blue on Mon Oct 11, 2010 at 02:12:31 PM EST
    the capsules are designed to carry them even if they were unconscious. Makes sense though.

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    No sedatives (none / 0) (#15)
    by gyrfalcon on Mon Oct 11, 2010 at 03:40:35 PM EST
    is what I heard.  They considered it, but they feel they need these guys alert and able to communicate with the folks up top about what's happening.  There's also the horrific possibility something could go wrong.  If that does happen, I don't know what they could do about it, but there are no options at all if the guy is sedated, I think.

    Not sure why no Valium, though, since it's not really a sedative, just anti-anxiety.  I've only taken it once or twice in my life, but it sure didn't sedate me in any way.

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    Some people have difference (none / 0) (#17)
    by MO Blue on Mon Oct 11, 2010 at 04:14:18 PM EST
    reactions to drugs than others. As my son has says, I'm a real wimp when it comes to drugs like Valium, muscle relaxers and pain meds. Even small doses of Valium make me slightly fuzzy headed, less coordinated and more clumsy.

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    Chilean Miner Rescue Set for Wednesday | 19 comments (19 topical)

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