August 6, 2010 – A statement from Chile’s National Emergency Office says 130 people are working to rescue the miners.
August 7, 2010 – Rescuers face a setback when another cave-in blocks the path they were using to reach the miners. Chilean President Sebastian Pinera travels to Copiapo, where the mine is located, to meet with officials.
August 22, 2010 – The miners send a note up tied to a probe which was lowered by authorities earlier in the day. Written in red ink, it reads, “We are fine in the shelter, the 33 of us.”
August 23, 2010 – A second probe reaches the miners. Rescuers are now capable of relaying communications and can send food and water to miners. Before this, the miners survive by sharing small amounts of tuna and mackerel that were in the shelter, along with water.
August 24, 2010 – Experts from NASA and Chilean navy submarine experts are called to help address the psychological toll the isolation can take on the miners.
August 26, 2010 – Miners send a video message to their families expressing thanks for the efforts under way to free them.
–
Rescue Plans:
Mining Minister Laurence Golborne described for CNN the rescue efforts, the three holes – dubbed Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C – being dug in an effort to open a passageway to safety for the men. Plan A and Plan B each require two holes to be drilled – a small hole first and then a wider one about 26 to 28 inches (65-70 centimeters) in diameter. Golborne said the second pass would be slower progress than the first pass.
Plan A involves using a drill placed directly above the shelter where the miners are holed up. Under Plan B, a hole is being drilled at a roughly 80-degree angle into an area of the mine shaft that is used as a mechanical workshop. That distance, engineers estimate, is around 2,034 feet (620 meters). The drill used in Plan C would need to cut through some 1,969 feet (600 meters) of rock and earth.
Plan A drill is a Raise Borer Strata 950, usually used for drilling ventilation shafts in mines.
Plan B drill is a Schramm T-130, usually used for boring water holes.
Plan C drill is a Rig 421 drill, usually used for drilling for oil.
