The mining minister of Chile announced that the rescue drill is scheduled to reach the trapped miners by Saturday based on the present progress. 33 miners have been trapped in part of a mine since August 5th. The earlier government estimate was that it would be November before the miners could be freed. The rapid progress of one of the three drills employed has made it possible to reach the miners faster.
By Thursday the drill was just 300 feet away from the collapsed shaft where the miners had taken shelter. Meanwhile, on the surface, the debate rages whether it is necessary to reinforce the shaft with a metal pipe before the miners are helped out. The final decision regarding the reinforcement will be taken once the actual video images are taken after the drill punctures through. Reinforcing the shaft might delay the rescue by as much as eight days.
The Civil defense and medical workers were busy working out the actual procedure to be followed once the rescue starts. The rescue workers have prepared a list of the order in which the miners have to be rescued depending on their physical, psychological and character strength examination in captivity. The first one out should be one with the capability of handling a setback. The last one out should be the one with both physical and mental strength.
Technology has gone a long way in keeping the miners in the shaft fairly comfortable since the time they were first found. A fiber optic communication link helps in communicating with the outside world. A five foot long hollow cylinder, which acts like a pneumatic tube, also known as a paloma has been helpful in reaching supplies to the trapped miners. They have been supplied with self sterilizing clothes to help maintain hygiene and contain body odor.
