President Piñera commemorates 10 years since the rescue of the 33 miners in Atacama: “We were filled with pride through this rescue, which brought out the best in the Chilean people”
In a touching ceremony in remembrance of the feat, the President valued the tenacity, hope and teamwork behind the rescue of the miners. The President also highlighted the changes in the mining industry, improved safety conditions and reduced fatalities.
On Tuesday, President Sebastián Piñera and First Lady Cecilia Morel led a commemorative ceremony 10 years after the rescue of the 33 miners who were trapped for 69 days in the San José Mine in Copiapó, Atacama Region.
The President joined Samuel Ávalos, Raúl Bustos, Mario Sepúlveda and Daniel Herrera in La Moneda Palace and others connecting remotely from Copiapó to value the coordinated efforts of the rescue teams and the steadfastness and fortitude of the 33 miners while underground.
“These 69 days also taught us important lessons, which today are more necessary and useful than ever. The most valuable thing we have is the value of life and human dignity. The value of unity and faith, the will to persevere and maintain hope, even when everything seems turned against us,” said President Piñera.
In 2010, Chile and the world bore witness to the rescue of 33 miners in the San José Mine in the Atacama Region. They survived for 69 days at a depth of 700 meters after a mine collapsed. As soon as the Government of Chile became aware of the tragedy, under the leadership of President Piñera, it did everything technically and humanly possible to rescue them.
“As Chileans, we were moved and will never forget those weeks of anguish and pain, but also of faith and hope in our lives”, added the President in a ceremony with the participation of Mining Minister, Baldo Prokurica, and Labor Minister, María José Zaldívar.
As a result of the accident in the San José Mine, the President spoke of the cultural change in safety issues in the Chilean mining industry, which has significantly reduced fatality and accident rates. In 2010 there were 41 accidents of this type in Chile, whereas in 2019 this number was only 10, making Chile a country with one of the mining industries with the highest safety levels in the world.
Moreover, since 2010, the Government of Chile has made improvements to the National Geology and Mining Service (SERNAGEOMIN), which has brought about a significant increase in inspections. From 2,586 inspections in 2010, there were 10,545 inspections in 2019. Likewise, the number of inspectors grew from 18 in 2010 to 64 in 2019.
“As a result of this unfortunate accident, and in direct collaboration with the miners, the mining companies and the Government has made an enormous effort to better protect the life of miners,” said the President.