A true leader as foreman chooses to come out last
Cheers rang out around the San Jose copper mine as shift foreman Luis Urzua, 54, became the last man to be hoisted to the surface after an incredible rescue mission lasting 21 hours and 44 minutes.
His exit marked the end to an almost 70-day plight which has gripped the world.
To the delight of their loved ones, the men were one-by-one carried 2,200ft to the surface in a metal pod nicknamed "Phoenix".
Mission Accomplished Chile - a banner held by rescuers after the operation
The first to emerge was shy 31-year-old Florencio Avalos in the early hours of Wednesday..
As the day unfolded, the speed of each rescue increased, reducing the time it took to bring each man to the top to just 10 minutes – quicker than ever expected.
At 1.55am (BST), Mr Urzua arrived at the surface to a scene of "exhilaration, excitement and exhaustion", Sky News correspondent Emma Hurd said.
He embraced Chilean president Sebastian Pinera as he reached the surface and told him: "We have done what the entire world was waiting for.
"The 70 days that we fought so hard were not in vain. We had strength, we had spirit, we wanted to fight, we wanted to fight for our families, and that was the greatest thing."
The president replied: "You are not the same, and the country is not the same after this. You were an inspiration. Go hug your wife and your daughter."
The rescued miners are Florencio Avalos, 31, Mario Sepulveda, 39, Juan Illanes, 52, Carlos Mamani, 24, Jimmy Sanchez, 19, Osman Araya, 30, Jose Ojeda, 45, Claudio Yanez, 34, Mario Gomez, 63, Alex Vega, 31, Jorge Galleguillos, 56, Edison Pena, 34, Carlos Barrios, 27, Victor Zamora, 33, Victor Segovia, 48, Daniel Herrera, 27, Omar Reygadas, 56, Esteban Rojas, 44, Pablo Rojas, 45, Dario Segovia, 48, Johnny Barrios, 50, Samuel Avalos, 43, Carlos Bugueno, 27, Jose Henriquez, 54, Renan Avalos, 29, Claudio Acuna, 56, Franklin Lobos, 53, Richard Villarroel, 27, Juan Aguilar, 49, Raul Bustos, 40, Pedro Cortez, 24, Ariel Ticona, 29, and Luis Urzua, 54.
Although cramped and with a door that stuck occasionally, the Phoenix worked exactly as planned.
Daniel Herrera hugs his waiting mother after making it to the surface
The operation started soon after the first rescuer, Manuel Gonzalez, successfully reached the mine's chamber at 3.40am (BST) on Wednesday.
Rescuers had estimated it would take around 48 hours to get all the miners to the surface but as the mission progressed it gathered pace...
As the miners emerged, several thrust their fists upwards, andMario Sepulveda, the second to taste freedom, bounded out and led his rescuers in a rousing cheer.
Franklin Lobos, who played for the Chilean national football team in the 1980s, briefly bounced a football on his foot and knee..
Comments