I’m glad that these poor guys are finally getting rescued. But, my God, I get a panic attack just thinking about them having to slide in that narrow tube for 15 minutes. If I were one of those trapped, I’d never make it. You’d probbaly have to shoot me up with propafol or whatever drug just knocks your lights out.
Now granted, if you’re a c laustrophobe such as myself, then mining is not the career for you, but still, I’m sure they never imagined they’d be forced to squeeze up a narrow tube.
I hope all goes well - since they’re starting the resue at midnight local time, I hope to see a handful of them up as I awaken.
Anyone else feeling some nervousness for these guys?
15 minutes? Is that all? They are 2,000 ft underground. I would think such a rapid ascent would cause decompression sickness(the bends). I guess they’re either using a pressurized tube and putting them in a pressure chamber at the top or the mine isn’t pressurized. In any event, they’re going to have to be extremely careful to not foul the shaft because the rescue carriage is not much smaller than the shaft. And I heard they’re being issued special eyewear to keep from damaging their eyes when they come out into the light after so long in a dim environment.
I’m amazed they managed to keep them alive and healthy for this long, and it seems they beat estimated timelines for full extraction. I thought it was going to take three months, not two.
No everybody is as concerned about such things. I’ve done some caving, and spent time in some pretty confined spaces underground.
I’m sure they probably don’t care. You don’t take a job as a miner if you’re really worried by such situations, and I’m sure the prospect of finally being free will be uppermost in their minds.
I doubt that decompression sickness is an issue, Mtgman. We’re talking about 2000 ft of air pressure, not of water pressure. Pressure at that depth in a cavern is about 1.07 atmospheres, roughly the same as under 3 feet of water. They may feel some ear discomfort if they have blocked sinuses, but I wouldn’t anticipate any more significant problems.
I wonder if once everyone’s out if there will be requests by some enterprising reporters to travel down into the mine chamber themselves to photograph the conditions under which these men lived lo these many months. It would be interesting reading. While the mine owners appear to be on shaky ground financially and might benefit from such an endeavor, whatever regulatory bodies exist might have a different perspective on any such proposal.
I can’t imagine that some time in that cage, for a guy who is used to confined spaces underground and who is finally returning the surface and family and TV and showers, is in any way worse than staying down there.
All the while this has been going on I have been trying to remember the name of a German town where a similar rescue took place and suddenly the other day it just popped up in my mind: Lengede
How long has it been since there was a good news story on the TV news?
I am finding this a lot more moving than I expected. And I don’t know why.
ETA: anyone else hear that no less than five mistresses have joined the wives at the mine head? After the euphoria has died down, that may require a little explaining…
