The most inspiring and unsettling real-life story in the world today is likely the one of 33 miners in Chile trapped about 2,300 feet underground with what appears to be little hope of immediate rescue. That they escaped injury or death in the cave-in that isolated them is incredible. That they survived for more than two weeks on a tiny amount of food and water before being located is miraculous. That they continue to be in generally good spirits while awaiting a rescue that might not occur until Christmas is, to most people, unimaginable.
The miners are confined to an area that measures about 600 square feet, that has a constant temperature of about 90 degrees with high humidity and that is totally devoid of natural light. There is no easy way out. The mine collapse buried all routes to the surface.
The only method to reach the miners – the self-dubbed “Los 33” – is to drill straight down through 2,300 feet of solid rock. That’s almost twice as deep as two of Chicago’s John Hancock Buildings placed end to end. Rescue shafts have been started, but movement is slow. Drills can open only about 50 feet of shaft each day.
Meanwhile, life for the trapped miners is a surreal mixture of the extraordinary and the ordinary. Singular efforts to provide life-sustaining necessities for the miners are on-going. A 4-inch-wide shaft now connects those underground to those above. Food, water, medicine, communications lines, a chemical privy, a light source and other mundane items often taken for granted on the surface – toothpaste, for example – have traveled down the lifeline. The men were able to watch a soccer game between Chile and the Ukraine this week and videos indicate the men are in good spirits, though sweaty and growing thin. A huge team of specialists – including doctors and engineers from the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration – works constantly to sustain the men and to provide support and assistance for family members who await their return.
There are problems, though. One miner has hypertension, another has a severe toothache. Medications for the former seem to be working, but the antibiotic for the latter has been changed in hope of improved efficacy. Diet and sleep patterns require attention. The experts’ main worry is the miners’ psychological state, which for the moment seems stable. That could change quickly in a place where darkness and isolation are constant companions.