The 33 Miners Rescued in Chile

On October 13, 2010, all 33 trapped miners reached the surface in Copiapó, Chile. They had spent 69 days underground. This was the end of a dangerous and unusual mining accident. The accident began on August 5 at the San José copper-and-gold mine. A cave-in trapped the men 700 meters below the ground. They were also five kilometers from the mine entrance. The mine stood in the Atacama Desert, about 45 kilometers north of Copiapó. After 69 days, the miners finally came back to the surface. Their rescue became an important event in Chile and around the world. The date, October 13, is remembered because every one of the 33 men survived. The photograph shows people gathered outside the mine. A man holds a note from the miners. It says, “We are fine in the shelter, the 33.” This short message gave people hope during the rescue.