Chile Mine Collapse Leaves Two Dead, Three Trapped
(MENAFN) A second miner has been confirmed dead following the collapse at Chile's El Teniente copper mine, as rescue teams recovered human remains on Friday. The disaster, triggered by a 4.2-magnitude earthquake in central Chile, has left three miners still unaccounted for.
The fatality was confirmed by Codelco, Chile's state-run mining giant, which announced that the body was discovered amid ongoing rescue operations. Officials have yet to formally identify the remains.
"This news hits hard," said Andres Music, general manager of the El Teniente division. "But it confirms we're following the right path in our rescue efforts."
The collapse occurred on Thursday, prompting Codelco to suspend all production activities. Emergency crews immediately began clearing rubble in a desperate effort to reach the five trapped miners. As of the latest report, teams had removed 2,450 tons of debris and progressed 21 meters toward a 90-meter goal—the estimated location of the workers and three emergency shelters.
Chilean President Gabriel Boric emphasized the nation's commitment to the operation. "Our priority is supporting the families and keeping them informed every step of the way," he said.
El Teniente, situated 130 kilometers south of Santiago at an elevation of 2,300 meters, is recognized as the world’s largest underground copper mine. It employs close to 4,000 people and produced 356,000 metric tons of copper in 2024.
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