Rescue operations are still underway in Chile as teams strive to save four miners trapped underground following a mine collapse triggered by an earthquake. The deadly incident took place at the El Teniente copper mine, located about 70 km southeast of Santiago. The state-owned mining company Codelco reported the recovery of one body, but it has yet to be identified.
The mine’s collapse occurred after a 4.2-magnitude tremor struck the area on Thursday, while the miners were working deep underground. Although one fatality has been confirmed, five miners remain unaccounted for. Codelco has informed the families of the missing miners and is committed to continuing the search and rescue efforts.
Andres Music, the general manager of El Teniente Division, expressed both sadness and determination in light of the tragedy. “This discovery fills us with sadness, but it also tells us that we are in the right place, that the strategy we followed led us to them,” he stated.
Rescue teams, equipped with heavy machinery, are working tirelessly to clear the blocked passageways, aiming to progress at a rate of 15 to 20 meters every 24 hours. El Teniente is known as the world’s largest underground copper mine and is situated high in the Andes mountains in central Chile, making rescue operations both critical and complex.
