For 33 Rescued Miners in Chile, a Rebirth

15 October 2010

Luis Urzua, the last miner to be taken out of the San Jose mine near Copiapo, in a photo released by the Chilean government.

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

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Rescue workers at the San Jose gold and copper mine in northern Chile had reason to sing this week. A small hole drilled into the earth became a passage to freedom for thirty-three trapped miners. They spent sixty-nine days underground. "Never have people been trapped for so long so deeply," says a doctor at NASA, the American space agency, which helped in the rescue.

But medical officials in Chile say most of the rescued miners were in good enough health to leave the hospital Friday. Three were released Thursday night.

For much of Thursday, the miners -- thirty-two Chileans and one Bolivian -- relaxed with Chilean President Sebastian Pinera. The miners still wore dark sunglasses to protect their eyes.

A partial mine collapse on August fifth trapped them more than half a kilometer underground. They had to stretch a two-day food supply. For two weeks no one knew if they were alive or dead.

Later, they received supplies and a video link lowered through drill holes. That link was how Ariel Ticona watched his wife give birth to their daughter.

The miners have apparently agreed to share the money they earn from selling their story.