Chile mine rescue underway; two-thirds hoisted to safety

SAN JOSE MINE, CHILE - One by one, the miners who have been trapped under 2,000 feet of rock in northern Chile for more than two months were being pulled to the surface Wednesday in a special capsule, then embraced by emotional family members as the end of their saga was beamed live around the world.

By late afternoon, more than two-thirds of the 33 who were entombed deep in the gold and copper mine had been rescued, triggering an outburst of national pride. They emerged, seemingly in good health, wearing dark sunglasses to protect their eyes after 69 days in their dark, humid cavern under the Atacama Desert.

"We always knew that we would be rescued," Mario Sepulveda, the second miner pulled from the depths, said shortly after he emerged. "We never lost faith." After he stepped out of the capsule, the ebullient Sepulveda led those gathered at the surface in a rousing cheer, earning him the nickname "Super Mario" in Chilean newspapers.

At 6:00 p.m. local time (5:00 p.m. EDT), the tally of miners who had made the bumpy journey in the specially designed capsule reached 24. As the rescue effort picked up speed, it appeared to be on pace for completion late Wednesday.

Like those before him, the 20th miner rescued, Dario Segovia, 48, emerged freshly shaved and hugged his wife before lying down on a gurney and being wheeled into a field hospital.

The 17th, Omar Alejandro Reygadas Rojas, 56, is a great-grandfather who has worked in mines for two decades.

The rescued miners were greeted by patriotic cheers of "Chi! Chi! Chi! Le! Le! Le!" and an embrace from Chilean President Sebastian Pinera, who has been a near-constant presence at the mine during the ordeal.

"Bienvenido a la vida," Pinera told Victor Segovia, the 15th miner to emerge. In English, the phrase means, "Welcome to life."

In Washington, President Obama said: "This rescue is a tribute not only to the determination of the rescue workers and the Chilean government, but also the unity and resolve of the Chilean people, who have inspired the world. And I want to express the hopes of the American people that the miners who are still trapped underground will be returned home safely as soon as possible."

He also commended those from the United States and other nations who assisted in the rescue effort, including a NASA team that helped design the escape capsule, U.S. companies that manufactured parts of the rescue drill and the American engineer who flew in from Afghanistan to operate the drill.

"Last night, the whole world watched" as the first rescued miner surfaced, Obama told reporters. "It was a thrilling moment, and we're hopeful that those celebrations duplicate themselves throughout the rest of today," he said.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said earlier that Obama viewed the rescue effort as "a tremendously inspirational story, a story with a happy ending."

abuiyad