The Chilean Mine Rescue: Men at Work
Eric Anderson
September 09, 2010
The miners stuck underground at the mine near Copiapo, Chile have become international celebrities. Their underground refuge has become a fishbowl, as has the rescue operation on the surface. News stories abound with speculation and the smallest factual details.
Early news reports speculated that the miners will at times become bored, worried, or depressed. However, the task at hand will keep the busy enough during the coming months, leaving them little time for boredom or worry.
Their environment is challenging and the risks are real. The rescue team is working hard to provide them with comfort, hot food, electricity, communications, and entertainment. They have the support of President Sebastian Piņera, their spiritual leaders, and their families.
The professionals managing the rescue have had time to properly estimate the miners´ physical and mental condition and weigh the options and risks and plan out a program of nutrition, exercise and conservative medical care.
The miners´ own initiative was praised by Dr. Michael Duncan, the leader of the NASA team sent to advise the rescue operation, who praised the courage and organization the miners. He also praised the judgment exercised by the rescue team in the initial handling of the miners´ nutritional needs. Dr. Duncan also pointed out the importance of refraining from providing the miners with alcohol or other substances that could impair their ability to function in an emergency.
The plight of the miners has been compared to that of the crew of Apollo 13, the Uruguayan survivors of the airplane crash of 1972, and the stranded crew of Ernest Shackleton´s expedition to Antarctica. In each case, the circumstances were very different, with a common thread of threat to survival and uncertainty of outcome. The crew of the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission faced days of tense isolation. The young Uruguayan rugby players faced weeks of freezing temperatures, near starvation and uncertainty about whether they would be rescued. The crew of Shackleton´s 1914 Antarctic expedition endured two years of hunger, freezing temperatures, isolation and finally a death-defying journey across open seas in a lifeboat.
Media reports question their ability to get along over the long haul. However, history has shown that adversity makes for a strong, dedicated, cohesive group, and the bonds forged by their ordeal can be expected to last a lifetime.
A successful rescue will bring new challenges to the miners. They have families to support. They may not want to return to the mines. They will have to face a new life as celebrities, which will bring new opportunities as well as risk of exploitation. Hopefully, they will benefit from the guidance and protection of other survivors, such as the four Uruguayans who visited them at the mine.
Early news reports speculated that the miners will at times become bored, worried, or depressed. However, the task at hand will keep the busy enough during the coming months, leaving them little time for boredom or worry.
Their environment is challenging and the risks are real. The rescue team is working hard to provide them with comfort, hot food, electricity, communications, and entertainment. They have the support of President Sebastian Piņera, their spiritual leaders, and their families.
The professionals managing the rescue have had time to properly estimate the miners´ physical and mental condition and weigh the options and risks and plan out a program of nutrition, exercise and conservative medical care.
The miners´ own initiative was praised by Dr. Michael Duncan, the leader of the NASA team sent to advise the rescue operation, who praised the courage and organization the miners. He also praised the judgment exercised by the rescue team in the initial handling of the miners´ nutritional needs. Dr. Duncan also pointed out the importance of refraining from providing the miners with alcohol or other substances that could impair their ability to function in an emergency.
The plight of the miners has been compared to that of the crew of Apollo 13, the Uruguayan survivors of the airplane crash of 1972, and the stranded crew of Ernest Shackleton´s expedition to Antarctica. In each case, the circumstances were very different, with a common thread of threat to survival and uncertainty of outcome. The crew of the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission faced days of tense isolation. The young Uruguayan rugby players faced weeks of freezing temperatures, near starvation and uncertainty about whether they would be rescued. The crew of Shackleton´s 1914 Antarctic expedition endured two years of hunger, freezing temperatures, isolation and finally a death-defying journey across open seas in a lifeboat.
Media reports question their ability to get along over the long haul. However, history has shown that adversity makes for a strong, dedicated, cohesive group, and the bonds forged by their ordeal can be expected to last a lifetime.
A successful rescue will bring new challenges to the miners. They have families to support. They may not want to return to the mines. They will have to face a new life as celebrities, which will bring new opportunities as well as risk of exploitation. Hopefully, they will benefit from the guidance and protection of other survivors, such as the four Uruguayans who visited them at the mine.
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