Three of five trapped workers at Codelco’s El Teniente copper mine in Chile have been found dead, the company said, as rescue teams work to clear underground passages that collapsed in a strong tremor last week.
One person also died at the time of the incident on Thursday evening, bringing the total death toll to four. Codelco discovered the first trapped worker on Saturday and another two early on Sunday.
“We deeply regret the discovery of two other colleagues who were found deceased,” the miner said in a statement. “We stand with the families and the entire community in the anguish this situation causes.”
As of Sunday morning, rescue teams had cleared 24 meters of blocked passages, out of 90 meters that Codelco officials previously said could be necessary to reach the trapped workers, in the new Andesita section of the mine. The collapse occurred on Thursday about 5.30pm local time, caused by one of the largest tremors ever recorded at El Teniente with the impact of a 4.2 magnitude earthquake.
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Codelco is investigating whether the cause was mining activity or natural tectonic shifts in the earthquake-prone country. – Reuters
