In a remarkable rescue operation, Mexican army divers successfully retrieved a miner trapped in a flooded tunnel for two weeks. Francisco Zapata Nájera, 42, was found approximately 300 meters (985 feet) below the surface after an embankment collapsed at a gold mine in northern Mexico’s Sinaloa state. Video footage shows Zapata standing in waist-deep water, expressively stating, 'I didn't lose faith,' highlighting his resilience throughout the ordeal.
The rescue operation began on March 25 when the tailings dam at the mine burst, trapping 25 workers. While 21 managed to escape immediately, four remained stuck underground. In the following days, one miner, José Alejandro Cástulo, was rescued after five days, but it took rescuers a grueling 13 days to locate Zapata. His flashlight became crucial, as it signaled to the divers searching for him. Upon their arrival, the divers reassured him, crediting his beacon for their success.
Due to flooding surrounding him, divers could not extract Zapata immediately. They provided him with food and water, promising to return. After 20 additional hours and the use of pumps to lower water levels, he was finally brought to the surface. Wrapped in a thermal blanket, he was airlifted to the hospital, visibly frail but stable, where he reunited with his family. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum commended the rescue teams and praised Zapata’s faith during this life-threatening ordeal, emphasizing the ‘astounding rescue’ that unfolded.
The rescue operation began on March 25 when the tailings dam at the mine burst, trapping 25 workers. While 21 managed to escape immediately, four remained stuck underground. In the following days, one miner, José Alejandro Cástulo, was rescued after five days, but it took rescuers a grueling 13 days to locate Zapata. His flashlight became crucial, as it signaled to the divers searching for him. Upon their arrival, the divers reassured him, crediting his beacon for their success.
Due to flooding surrounding him, divers could not extract Zapata immediately. They provided him with food and water, promising to return. After 20 additional hours and the use of pumps to lower water levels, he was finally brought to the surface. Wrapped in a thermal blanket, he was airlifted to the hospital, visibly frail but stable, where he reunited with his family. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum commended the rescue teams and praised Zapata’s faith during this life-threatening ordeal, emphasizing the ‘astounding rescue’ that unfolded.
