Nine trapped miners freed

Rescuers freed nine miners from a caved-in copper mine in southern Peru yesterday, ending a seven day ordeal during which the men had survived deep underground.

This moment, it’s like being reborn

The miners exited the Cabeza de Negro mine one by one starting at around 1 p.m., wrapped in blankets and wearing dark glasses to protect their eyes against the bright light of day, AFP reporters at the scene said.

One of the miners had difficulty walking, and was wearing an oxygen mask.

“This moment, it’s like being reborn,” said Edwin Bellido after a tearful reunion with his wife and two young daughters.

Miners raised a Peruvian flag atop a pole to celebrate the rescue and President Ollanta Humala, who arrived Tuesday, joined relatives in welcoming the men back to the surface amid an outpouring of emotion and patriotism.

“The best medicine for these fellow countrymen is to meet with their family. Mission accomplished,” said President Humala, who spoke briefly with the miners.

Trapped since last Thursday, the miners, aged 22 to 59 and including a father and son, had escaped injury in the cave-in and were huddled together in the same place.

Rescuers had to proceed cautiously though because of the danger of further cave-ins as they dug through rock and soil to reach the miners trapped in a horizontal gallery 250 metres underground.

Rescuers were able to get close enough to supply them with oxygen, water and soup through a metal tube. But a cave-in delayed the rescue until yesterday as miners brought in to help with the rescue shored up tunnel walls with wooden beams.

Mr Bellido recalled the ordeal as both harrowing and uncomfortable.

“We spent some critical moments inside,” he said.