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Trapped Miners' First Rescue Capsule Arrives
9:33am Sunday September 26, 2010
Andy Winter
The first capsule specially built to rescue 33 miners trapped deep underground since early August has arrived at the San Jose mine in Chile.
The man-size tube made of steel mesh and sheets will lift the men out one by one once one of the three rescue holes being drilled reach the group. While nearly 10 feet tall on the outside, the space inside the capsule is just six feet high and 21 inches across. There are three tanks of compressed air at the bottom which allows for 90 minutes of breathing. According to Chile's health minister Jaime Manalich that should be plenty for the 15 to 20 minutes the journey to the surface is expected to take.
Trying the capsule out for size
However, should any problems arise, the base can be opened to allow the miner to be lowered back down by cable. Relatives of the stricken men have been trying out the capsule. After describing the container as comfortable, Carolina Lobos - the 25-year-old daughter of miner Franklin Lobos - said: "It's very exciting." Two back-up rescue devices constructed at Chile's naval shipyard are expected to be delivered next week. If all goes well, the government has said the miners should be free by early November.
