Media365
Four workers trapped in a collapsed copper mine in Central Chile, following a 4.3 magnitude earthquake in the area, were found dead, while one of the workers still remains missing, officials confirmed Sunday.The incident occurred on Thursday at El Teniente, one of the world’s largest copper mines, operated by Chile’s state-run mining company, Codelco. Operations at El Teniente have been suspended since the collapse.Codelco confirmed that the body of Gonzalo Nunez Caroca, one of the workers, was recovered on Saturday, while the three miners found on Sunday have not yet been identified.One worker was confirmed dead on the day of the incident, leaving five others trapped underground. Nine additional workers were injured.Codelco CEO Ruben Alvarado emphasised on Friday that the first 48 hours were crucial for rescue operations. He said that workers needed to clear 20 meters of debris to reach the area where the trapped miners were believed to be located.Chile President Gabriel Boric said Friday that his government would do “everything in (its) power” to find the missing workers. He also dispatched mining minister Aurora Williams to the site to coordinate rescue efforts, reported CNN.At a press conference on Saturday, Boric offered condolences to the family of Paulo Marín Tapia, another confirmed victim, and said he was in contact with the families of those still missing.Mine general manager Andres Music offered condolences in a Saturday statement. “We know that this news hits hard for the families of our colleagues and for our entire mining community,” he said. Both Codelco and the Chilean prosecutor’s office have opened investigations into the cause of the collapse. Music stressed that the incident was not caused by explosives. “We are making every effort to rescue these workers,” he said as quoted by CNN.
