So Far So Good For The Rescue Of Trapped Miners In Chile

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera and Bolivan President Evo Morales Wednesday praised the miners before rescuers hoisted the 15th man to safety.

Victor Segovia, 48, gave Pinera a thumbs up and a hug as he stepped from the rescue capsule, the 15th of 33 trapped miners rescued. Segovia kept a journal while trapped underground for 69 days.

Victor Zamora, 33, the 14th miner rescued, hugged and kissed his six-months-pregnant wife.

Carlos Barrios, 27, the 13th miner to come out, had only begun mining eight months before the Aug. 5 collapse at the San Jose mine.

Pineria said the rescues were a victory of fear over death.

"I am more convinced than ever that the greatest wealth of our country is not copper, but our miners, he said. Morales said Bolivia would not forget the rescue of Carlos Mamani, the only trapped Bolivian miner. "This incident is uniting us more and more every day," Morales said.

Earlier, cheers greeted Edison Pena, the 12th trapped miner rescued from the Chilean mine. Pena, 34, who jogged more than two miles a day in dark tunnels, kept other miners' spirits up by leading exercises and singing Elvis Presley songs, CNN said Wednesday.

Mario Heredia Gomez, at 62 the oldest miner of the group, was the ninth extracted. He donned his sunglasses to shield his eyes, then waved a Chilean flag soon after he emerged from the specially designed rescue capsule about 8 1/2 hours after the rescue operation began.

8th miner to be rescued

The miners are being brought to the surface from more than 2,000 feet below, one by one, in a rescue operation televised around the world.

Florencio Avalos, 31, was the first miner to get into the capsule after rescuer Manuel Gonzalez was lowered into the mine. Plans called for four rescuers to join the miners below the surface during the rescue operation, which was expected to take as much as 48 hours.

Gonzalez is an expert in mine emergencies and vertical ascents, the Santiago Times reported. Television news organizations aired live pictures of Gonzalez emerging from the capsule to a warm greeting from the trapped miners.

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