‘Problems’ among trapped Chile miners

Some of the miners trapped in a subterranean nightmare Chile – and forced to wait months for rescue – are falling prey to anxiety, officials said yesterday, as angry relatives mounted their first legal action.

CNN reported that Chilean Health Minister Jaime Manalich said that three or four of the men do have some “problems” after enduring three weeks stuck underground following a shaft collapse.

They were having trouble sleeping and were becoming increasingly anxious and irritable after being cramped in the confined space for so long.

The 33 trapped miners were told for the first time on Wednesday that their rescue would take a long time, certainly more than two months, but were not given engineers’ estimates that it could be twice that.

Officials were carefully watching for any negative reaction to the news.

The 33 trapped miners were told for the first time on Wednesday that they may not be rescued for four months, without being given a set period.

The government was carefully watching for any negative reaction to the news.

Officials said nine of the men were “too fat” to fit through the 66-centimetre diameter escape shaft that was to be dug down to them over the weeks and months ahead, according to CNN.

Doctors on the surface were looking at a diet and exercise regime to ensure all would be able to fit through the shaft – roughly the size of a bicycle wheel – when the time comes.

Concern over the miners’ wellbeing has replaced the euphoria that exploded Sunday when, against the odds, a drill probe detected the men in a shelter 700 meters (2,300 feet) below ground.

They had survived on meagre rations and water dripping into the tunnel.

Now, food and water was being dropped to them along the tiny probe hole, which also served as a conduit for an intercom cable to communicate with officials, doctors and waiting family members.

After building back up their strength, doctors were to start them on daily exercise, and a programme to keep them mentally occupied that included singing and card games.

Yesterday, one of the families lodged the first lawsuit over the accident.

The claim targets the owners of the mine and government inspectors, accusing them of criminal negligence in allowing the shaft to reopen in 2008 after a worker accident caused it to be closed in 2007.

“I’m not thinking of monetary compensation. I’m thinking of holding people responsible. Not only the mine’s owners but also people who didn’t do their job” to check the safety of the mine, Carolina Narvaez, wife of trapped miner Raul Bustos, explained.

Chile’s Congress has already opened an investigation into the accident, while President Sebastian Pinera vowed to punish anybody found responsible under criminal and civil law.