Florencio Avalos, one of the 33 Chilean miners, was the first to be raised to the surface to the sound of applause [AFP]
Published On 13 Oct 201013 Oct 2010
Miners were to travel up to the surface in a capsule, with each trip taking about 17 minutes [AFP]
Advertisement
The rescue by capsule was to be a very delicate operation, and the miners had said that they were nervous about the 600m trip [AFP]
The narrow capsules are painted in the colours of the Chilean flag and have been baptised the (***)Phoenix(***) to symbolise the rebirth of the miners when they reach the surface [AFP]
Sebastian Pinera, the Chilean president, was present at the mine to oversee the rescue operation [AFP]
The miners were to be flown by helicopter to the hospital of Copiapo, to be put under observation in a dark ward [AFP]
An entire nation was ready to celebrate [AFP]
Advertisement
Wives, children, parents and friends of the miners were waiting on the hillside at a tent settlement dubbed Camp Hope [AFP]
