A assignment arid a accomplishment shaft to 33 trapped Chilean miners has burst through into an underground alcove area they accept been abandoned back August.
The anniversary at the San Jose abundance came aloof afterwards 8am Chilean time, and 65 canicule afterwards the fractional collapse of the gold and chestnut abundance on 5 August.
"This is an important achievement," mining abbot Laurence Golborne said. "But we still haven't rescued anybody.
"This accomplishment won't be over until the aftermost being beneath leaves this mine."
The miners accept been active in a apartment 700m underground. The Plan B assignment – one of three alive accompanying – has burst through into a adit that the miners can reach.
Word of the drill's success prompted celebrations amid the miners' ancestors who accept camped there.
"Our agitation is gone now," said Juan Sanchez, whose son Jimmy is ashore below. "Only now can we activate to smile."
Rescuers charge to actuate whether the miners can be winched up through the apparent bedrock or if they will accept to delay for the shaft to be encased with animate piping.
Golborne has warned that it will be three to eight canicule afore the accomplishment mission can begin. He said the accomplished shaft would be advised with a video camera afore engineers absitively whether or not to reinforce it.
If the video assay persuades engineers that the shaft is smooth, able and compatible abundant to acquiesce the accomplishment abridged to ability the adit afterwards cogent obstacles, again rescuers plan to alpha affairs the men out one by one as aboriginal as Tuesday. The miners will be beggared one at a time into the distinctively advised abridged for the 15 or 20 account it should booty to ability the surface.
Hundreds of accomplishment workers accept able a acreage hospital aerial on the mountainside that will be acclimated to evaluate, stabilise and briefly abode the 33 miners already they are winched to the surface. The aborticide will alone activate afterwards the men accept been advised by Chilean argosy paramedics and mining accomplishment experts who will be beatific bottomward the shaft.
Journalists from about the apple accept turne