Dozens of workers trapped in Chile mine

At least 34 miners were trapped inside a copper and gold mine in northern Chile after a cave-in, authorities said yesterday, although their condition was not known.

Officials said the accident occurred Thursday night in the San Esteban mine near the city of Copiapo, in the arid Atacama desert 800 kilometres north of Santiago.

“The assessment of the terrain indicates there is a blockage in the mine’s main shaft,” an official report said.

Police entered the mine through a vent and made a detailed assessment, the report said.

The governor of the Atacama region, Ximena Matas, said that at least 34 miners were trapped inside and that the cave-in occurred at a depth of 300 metres.

“There was a cave-in at the 300 (meter) level and workers were below that. At the moment we can say they are trapped,” she told Bio Bio radio.

“We have information that there is a shelter with the basics needed to support people for a time, such as oxygen, protective gear, overcoats, etcetera.”

“We cannot talk about victims at this point,” she said.

“The information we have is that they are trapped, but we have no concrete information on the condition they are in,” she said.