All five miners trapped after copper mine collapse in Chile found dead

More than 100 radical had been progressive successful the hunt for workers astatine the El Teniente copper mine, the world’s largest underground mine.

All 5 workers trapped astatine a copper excavation successful Chile person been recovered dead, according to a determination prosecutor, aft rescue teams cleared much than 24 metres (78 feet) of underground passages that collapsed successful a beardown earthquake past week.

Prosecutor Aquiles Cubillo of the O’Higgins portion said connected Sunday that the assemblage of the 5th trapped idiosyncratic had been recovered astatine the El Teniente copper mine.

More than 100 radical had been progressive successful the hunt for workers astatine the El Teniente copper mine, the world’s largest underground mine, successful Rancagua, astir 100km (62 miles) southbound of Santiago.

“We profoundly regret this outcome,” Cubillos said.

The latest decease brings the full toll from the mishap to six, including 1 idiosyncratic who died astatine the clip of the incidental connected Thursday evening.

Chile’s state-owned mining institution Codelco discovered the archetypal trapped idiosyncratic connected Saturday and different 3 connected Sunday. It has not yet commented connected the last worker.

The miners had been moving astatine a extent of much than 900 metres erstwhile the illness happened, sidesplitting 1 workfellow and halting operations astatine the site. Their nonstop determination had been pinpointed with specialised equipment.

Minister for Mining Aurora Williams announced the impermanent cessation of enactment astatine the excavation connected Saturday.

The excavation began operating successful the aboriginal 1900s and boasts much than 4,500km (some 2,800 miles) of underground tunnels.

Last year, El Teniente produced 356,000 tonnes of copper – astir 7 percent of the full for Chile.

The cave-in happened aft a “seismic event” connected Thursday afternoon, of which the root – earthy oregon caused by drilling – was not yet known, the authorities said connected Saturday. The tremor registered a magnitude of 4.2.

“It is 1 of the biggest events, if not the biggest, that the El Teniente deposit has experienced successful decades,” Andres Music, the mine’s wide manager, said successful a statement.

The hunt squad included respective of the rescuers who participated successful successfully surfacing 33 miners trapped successful a excavation for much than 2 months successful the Atacama Desert successful 2010, attracting a whirlwind of planetary media attention.

Chile is the world’s largest copper producer, liable for astir a 4th of planetary supply, with astir 5.3 cardinal tonnes successful 2024.

Its mining manufacture is 1 of the safest connected the planet, with a decease complaint of 0.02 percent past year, according to the National Geology and Mining Service of Chile.

It besides lies successful the seismically progressive “Ring of Fire” that surrounds the shores of the Pacific Ocean.

Aerial presumption of El Teniente copper mine, wherever a illness killed 5 trapped workers underground [Esteban Felix/AP]