Have you heard about the remarkable story of 33 miners trapped inside the mine for 69 days? Miraculous, I know. Who could dare survive being trapped thousands of miles below the ground for 69 days? The answer then lies in the most inspiring true story I'm about to share with you!
The story began when San Jose Mine in Atacama desert, Chile, recruited miners despite its unstable condition.
On the afternoon of August 5, 2010, while the miners are working thousands of feet below the ground, a sudden explosion was heard followed by an immense shake as the mine unexpectedly collapse. Fortunately enough, the miners responded quickly to the situation. Their group was divided in two as they drove the 2 available trucks inside. The entrance was already blocked so they got no choice but to drive downwards heading to the refuge to avoid the falling huge rocks that surely could bury them to death. Luis Urzúa also called "Don Lucho", the duty shift supervisor, then organized their resources.
The food in the refuge only contains one can of salmon, one can of peaches, one can of peas, eighteen cans of tuna, twenty-four liters of milk, and ninety-three sachets of biscuits. There are only ten liters of drinking water however it will not be enough if they stayed long in the refuge, so they will have no choice but to drink the filthy water from drums used only for machines. Good enough, one of the miners knows how to filter water. As they got tired of looking for exits, they asked their Pastor colleague to lead for a prayer.
Meanwhile, the owner of the mine can't immediately respond to the situation as they don't have enough and the right equipment to dig such depth. Miners who managed to escape tried to enter the mine but a 550 feet rock named Diorite was blocking the entrance. Hopeless as it is, the owner of San Jose mine then decided to abandon the 33 miners. On the other side, the miners' families were camping outside the mine eagerly waiting for news and updates. When the families realized that the owner seemed to have no plans to take action, they reached the Minister of Mining in Chile and as fast as the news escalates, the incident eventually spread across the world.
As of the situation of the miners inside, they have been slowly swallowed by frustration and hopelessness. Hungry and on the verge of giving up, miners are starting to fight over food, which made Mario Sepulveda take over the situation. Mario then portioned their food equally for the 33 of them.
As days passed, the miners slowly lose their hopes to survive, thinking their company has already abandoned them. But after a few hours, they're starting to hear the drilling sounds of machines from up above, and that simple sound has greatly lifted their spirits.
Below are the actual footages inside the mine.
By the time the drill went to their refuge, they sprayed red paint on the metal drill and inserted a letter saying "We are all alive in the refuge. We are all 33, please save us". As the people outside discovered the miners were alive, they immediately announced it to the news and to their respective families.
They also inserted foods and vitamins through the drilling tube as the miners were already running out of food. Countries like Canada, America, and Australia sent sophisticated machines to help save the miners. To cut the story short, on October 12, 2010, all 33 miners have been saved. They were individually pulled out through a capsule-like metal cage.
Not only Chile but the whole world celebrated the rescue operation's success. The miners then each received $100,000 US dollars from raised funds. Not only that, but they became instant celebrities and guests on some shows. Their story was also documented in a film entitled "The 33".
The remarkable story of these 33 miners has not only inspired everyone to never give up in life but also to always keep their faith and believe in times of what seems to be impossible. Life indeed brings us pain, but in the end, it's a matter of whether or not we choose to lose by just giving up or win by giving it a good fight.
Have a pleasant night everyone!
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