Posted on 09/26/2010 10:28:13 AM PDT by traumer
The first of three rescue capsules specially built to lift out 33 miners trapped since early August arrived at the mine Saturday.
Two back-up rescue devices constructed at Chile's naval shipyard are expected to be delivered next week.
The man-size capsule will be used to pull the miners out one by one once one of the three rescue holes being drilled reach the men.
The government says that should happen by early November or earlier if all goes well.
Mining Minister Laurence Golborne showed off the first capsule to relatives of the trapped miners yesterday.
Golborne and about a dozen family members tried out the capsule, a 924-pound tube made of steel mesh and sheets that is big enough to hold one person.
Carolina Lobos, the 25-year-old daughter of trapped miner Franklin Lobos, said the device seemed very small and confining when she first saw it.
However, after trying it out, she called it comfortable. 'It's very exciting,' she added.
The capsule is nearly 10 feet tall on the outside. Inside, the space is 6¼ feet high and about 21 inches across. Chilean Ministry of Mining Laurence Golborne Workers raise the capsule
Even the Chilean Ministry of Mining Laurence Golborne (left) tested the capsule
The bottom of the capsule holds three tanks of compressed air - 40 percent oxygen and 60 percent nitrogen, Health Minister Jaime Manalich said.
He said that was enough for about 90 minutes of breathing, more than the 15 to 20 minutes that the journey to the surface is expected to take.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Praying for these guys and their rescuers.
Can’t even imagine...
May God strengthen and protect these brave men.
What could possible go wrong...
These are some very tough men. I can’t imagine what they are going through but I know someday it’s going to make a great book.
Well, there is that one miner with both a wife and mistress waiting for him...
Nothing until they enter REAL LIFE.....
That guy with the wife and mistress is going to need a lot of prayer!
Somehow I don’t have much faith in the Chilean authorities. I mean, it’s taking months to get these guys out?
You are kidding right....?
Friend of mine always carried a picture around of his brother leaping for a ladder leading up to a helicopter departing the American Embassy in Saigon.
He was the last man out.
Got to talk to him once and all I can say is there are some really hard jobs that somebody has got to do.
These men ALL have that job right now.
It seems that their going to be rescued a bit sooner that anticipated. Great news.
I pray that they have given that plenty of thought. I imagine they have.
Well... they could get them out quicker. They could nuke the hole and hope the miners survived.
Drilling through a half mile of rock without damaging the mine isn't easy. A month ago they were estimating it would take until Christmas. Now they are talking about early November or ealier. That's pretty good.
Prayers for all.
According to a FReeper who posted to me a few days ago, the country of Chile has the latest mining equipment because there is so much mining going on there by many countries who have the latest mining equipment and techniques.
They know what they are doing.
Please read my post #19.
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