R. Richard
Literotica Guru
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2003
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The rescue of the miners was a joyous thing. But the story wasn't over until the real heroes emerged. Comment?
Last man didn't switch off lights
THE last joyful hugs of congratulations were reserved for the first rescuer down the shaft of the collapsed Chilean mine today.
Jubilant scenes erupted as Manuel Gonzalez, who was first in at 1.55am yesterday, became the last man out early this morning.
The former professional footballer had to endure an agonising 26 minutes alone 2,041ft under the Atacama desert until he himself was hauled up to the surface in the Phoenix 2 rescue pod.
Before he left he poignantly waved at a camera sent down by the rescue team, bowed and offered up a prayer before setting off.
At the surface colleagues helped him out of the capsule, but only after asking if he had switched off all the lights - he hadn't.
The mine rescue expert with Chile's state-owned Codelco copper company coached the men through their final hours of captivity in their underground prison.
Eventually - alone in the San Jose mine after the 33 men, trapped for 69 days, had been successfully rescued - he strapped himself in the capsule for the final ascent.
He got to the surface at 4:32am UK time where Chilean President Sebastian Pinera embraced him as he had done every other man.
Mr Pinera asked him what he had been thinking on the ascent.
He said: "I was thinking that I hope this never happens again. There must be changes to mining so this doesn't happen again."
The last miner out of the ground had been shift foreman Luis Urzua, bringing to an end the longest period any person has ever spent underground.
Luis was credited with keeping discipline and rationing food during the 17 days they spent without contact after the collapse on August 5.
The rescuers have become huge celebrities in Chile after they beat their original Christmas deadline, getting the men out more than two months ahead of schedule.
The rescue team - made up of 300 people - even smashed the time they thought it would take to get them out once the rescue tunnel was completed.
They expected it to take 36 to 48 hours but all were out in 22 hours and 37 minutes.
It was another two-and-a-half hours before the last of the six rescuers, sent down to assist the men, also emerged.
Last man didn't switch off lights
THE last joyful hugs of congratulations were reserved for the first rescuer down the shaft of the collapsed Chilean mine today.
Jubilant scenes erupted as Manuel Gonzalez, who was first in at 1.55am yesterday, became the last man out early this morning.
The former professional footballer had to endure an agonising 26 minutes alone 2,041ft under the Atacama desert until he himself was hauled up to the surface in the Phoenix 2 rescue pod.
Before he left he poignantly waved at a camera sent down by the rescue team, bowed and offered up a prayer before setting off.
At the surface colleagues helped him out of the capsule, but only after asking if he had switched off all the lights - he hadn't.
The mine rescue expert with Chile's state-owned Codelco copper company coached the men through their final hours of captivity in their underground prison.
Eventually - alone in the San Jose mine after the 33 men, trapped for 69 days, had been successfully rescued - he strapped himself in the capsule for the final ascent.
He got to the surface at 4:32am UK time where Chilean President Sebastian Pinera embraced him as he had done every other man.
Mr Pinera asked him what he had been thinking on the ascent.
He said: "I was thinking that I hope this never happens again. There must be changes to mining so this doesn't happen again."
The last miner out of the ground had been shift foreman Luis Urzua, bringing to an end the longest period any person has ever spent underground.
Luis was credited with keeping discipline and rationing food during the 17 days they spent without contact after the collapse on August 5.
The rescuers have become huge celebrities in Chile after they beat their original Christmas deadline, getting the men out more than two months ahead of schedule.
The rescue team - made up of 300 people - even smashed the time they thought it would take to get them out once the rescue tunnel was completed.
They expected it to take 36 to 48 hours but all were out in 22 hours and 37 minutes.
It was another two-and-a-half hours before the last of the six rescuers, sent down to assist the men, also emerged.
