I don't know Brisket, horrific as they could be in there until Christmas!!!

They can get food and been given anti-depressants and told to try and get exercise...but wouldn't that be enough to tip anyone over the edge?

What happens if, God forbid, one of them doesn't make it? What do they do with somebody who dies, or maybe goes insane.....terrible....

It's heart breaking. They haven't told them how long they will be trapped because the don't want to demoralise them

Jesus....their families must be going out of their minds......too horrible....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/new...gh-rescue-holes.html

2,300 ft below ground They have NASA on the job, I guess if anybody can come up with a solution NASA will.

it is an awful situation, unimaginable what they are going to go through, and how it will affect them mentally

From the Telegraph:
"A tape measure has been sent down to record their waistlines after Jaime Mañalich, the Minister of Health, said it was essential they remained slim enough to fit through the 26 inch borehole that will eventually take them up to the surface."

That is surely going to put extra pressure on those miners who are the biggest.

They've told them now and they apparently took it calmly.
Brave, brave men. I'd be screaming and clawing the walls.

You wouldn't get me down there in the first place.
I think that's why we have such a respect for miners around these parts.

I feel claustrophobic just thinking about it, they must be terrified.

I am 58 and I well remember the horror of TV coverage of coalminers trapped when tunnels collapsed in this country.
The current situation in Chile brings back a lot of sad memories.

Me neither, the thought of being underground makes me shudder....

Miners are certainly made of sterner stuff than most. I hope they can keep their spirits up, and I hope they ALL come out as healthy as they possibly can be, and the sooner the better...

My Dad got buried in a mine collapse 33 years ago, smashed his leg to buggery.

I can't even begin to think what it must have been like psychologically.

They have now brought a potential rescue date forward to November.
Before anyone is liften out a paramedic is to be lowered down to join them.
A volunteer or delegated?
I wonder what it smells like down there now.
The emotional stress is unimagineable to me.
Many tears have surely been shed both above and under ground.

Incomprehendable that we can send several men to the moon..but we cant lift a few men out of the ground

I can even start to comprehend how dreadful it must be for them, and their families.....   I just pray it will have a happy ending.....

We moan about our lives, but when we know things like this is going on, doesnt half put things in perspective. Just pray they come out alive , it must be horrific

All these thoughts  i have read above, i have voiced or agreed with when talking about this  situation.


I can only hope they are getting everything they can to stay strong, and to know att the end of it they will come out to their families, as heroe's and alive and well.

At first they were talking about not being rescued before Christmas.
Now there is a possibility it could be within days.
I bet they are experiences emotions they didn't think possible.
If and when they are rescued successfully they'll be overwhelmed. They will probably get no time alone for days.
1 at a time.
The feelings of the first one out.....and the last one to be rescued while waiting.....
It's horrendous. Yet heroic.

Well it really is truly horrific.


I'm not sure why they are worried about them putting on weight though - yes they cannot exercise but they are hardly eating three square meals are they?

I'm surprised none of them have become seriously ill by now.

Also, I wonder how they will decide who is rescued first.

Interesting. I hadn't thought of that.

Being the last one out and waiting alone will be  awful But I hope they get them all out very soon...

According to this BBC article today, although they break through on Saturday, it is likely to be at least another 3-4 days to remove the drilling equipment and to get the resvue equipment set up, and that is assuming they don't have to reinforce the tunnel.

It is estimated that it will take at least an hour to lift each miner. They will be provided with sunglasses as they have been without sunlight for so long.

I hope that they will also be provided with suncream as they are likely to be much paler in appearance than before, so they could burn much more easily.

I suppose there are some that have remained stronger and are in better health than others so they will probably be last in line. Perhaps also the youngest will have to wait.


I saw a picture of the rescue tube they have designed to pull them to safety. A very claustrophobic piece of equipment with an escape button built in should anything go wrong.

It looks like it will just drop the men back down into the shaft should there be a problem but then I was thinking isn't this highly dangerous?
Not only would they still be trapped but they would probably be suffering from broken legs or worse.

Let's hope it all goes to plan.

Indeedy

I think because we have been able to follow the events of this rescue so closely, it has become remarkably involving. The media coverage has been informative, open, and constantly updated.
Unlike something we only learn about afterwards, this has held our attention and emotions throughout, because we have been so well-informed.

It's heartbreaking seeing the families' vigil beside the mine.


I can't imagine how I'd cope - I think I'd want to dig with my bare hands to try and get my loved ones out.

21 hours to go according to the news - I hope they are all recovered safely and quickly

i have one of them on twitter

OH OH

I really feel sad for them all.

Brilliant news!
The drilling has reached the trapped miners.     
A long way to go yet, but this is a major landmark, and there is much rejoicing around the mine.

My absolute, total, worst nightmare is to be trapped underground... It get tummy ache just thinking about it. I used to wake up in cold sweats when I was little and screaming if I dreamt about it or if I saw a film I'd feel physically sick.

I cannot imagine how these poor brave men are feeling. It's so near and yet so far right now. I really hope the rescue mission goes smoothly and to plan.

What's the betting there will be a film made of this at some stage? I bet Steven Speilberg is rubbing his hands thinking of a film title as we speak...

God bless each and every one of those men for a safe recovery and to be reunited with their families soon.

I'd like to say that the reporting on BBC news has been excellent - especially Tim Willcox.
It has helped that he speaks the language. He is pleasant and fluent. No stumbling. Very informative.
It is nice to see someone who is usually behind a studio desk, now being on the spot.
I think his reporting has been splendid.

Psychologists are pointing out, that the trauma of this experience could deeply affect some of these miners for the rest of their lives. They may be terrified of using an elevator for instance, or claustrophic, or anti-social.
An article in today's Guardian gives high praise to the miners' shift leader, Luis "Lucho" Urzua.
As leader he rose to the occasion, dividing the men into 3 groups and created a sense of purpose for each man.
There are other aspects and even while trapped underground lives have been changed.
To quote the Guardian referring to one of the trapped miners :-
"Johnny Barrios, a shy miner known to be a great sketch artist was pushed to the centre of the media circus when two women came to the mine to pray for their lover to be free."
"Johnny doesn't want to come up " one of the psychologists for the miners would later joke in reference to the uncomfortable confrontation awaiting Barrios."


" Other miners have confessed that after two months of solitude and reflection, they are aware of a singular truth - the end of their marriage"
"I have realised how empty my life has been for all these.....years" said one miner who plans to end his marriage on arrival topside."

I  find it unimaginable Brisket... but I am sure that the men who hopefully leave the mine in the next few days have to be different from the ones who went in.

I was watching the news earlier and they said about 4 or 5 of the stronger and older miners would be brought out first, because if anything goes wrong with the lift, they think they may be able to handle it better if they have to be lowered down again.

I'm finding it difficult to follow or imagine Pam

Just amazing that they are nearly rescued, and hope they recover from it in time. Cannot imagine what they are going through.

I hope and pray they all get out safe and well soon, i can't even get in a lift, i take the stairs instead, the thought of being trapped is unbearable