The Chilean
public prosecutor's office has decided not to press charges against the owners
of a mine that collapsed in 2010, trapping 33 workers underground for 70 days.
Miners have responded with anger.
After a
three-year probe into the mine collapse, the public prosecutor's office said
the investigation had left it "unconvinced" of the need to file
charges.
One of the
miners, Mario Sepulveda, told the AP news agency that the decision was "a
disgrace to Chile's justice system."
"It's
impossible that in an accident of this magnitude no one is held
responsible," said Sepulveda, who became a spokesman for the men at the
time of the collapse and subsequent dramatic rescue. He added: "Today, I
want to dig a deep hole and bury myself again; only this time, I don't want anybody
to find me."
Shortcomings
Laurence
Goldborne, who was mining minister at the time of the accident, also condemned
the decision.
"It
seems incredible to me that this would be the decision after a three-year
probe," he said, stressing that the mine had obviously not been properly
managed.
"Had
the chimney at the San Jose mine had a ladder, in accordance with
regulations... the 33 miners would not have spent 70 days trapped 700 meters
(765 yards) under the ground," Goldborne said.
After the
rescue, Chilean President Sebastian Pinera had vowed that those responsible for
the cave-in would be held responsible.
A civil
suit for compensation for the miners has been filed. A lawyer for 31 of the 33
men, Renato Frenafeta, said most of them had suffered from "serious
psychological consequences" following the accident.
He said
many could no longer work.
Worldwide
broadcast
The San
Jose mine in the Atacama Desert caved in on August 5, 2010, trapping the 33
miners in a hollow space under tons of rock. More than two weeks passed before
it became known that the men had survived, which they did by stretching their
48-hour supply of emergency rations for 17 days.
Eventually,
a narrow shaft was drilled into the hollow where the men were enclosed,
establishing contact and allowing food and water to be sent to them.
The miners
were finally rescued on October 13 in a spectacular operation that was
broadcast around the world.
The
incident focused attention on safety issues in the Chilean mining industry, one
of the country's most important sources of income.
Following
the accident, the rate of mining-related deaths and accidents in Chile fell, a
fact the Mining Ministry attributes to better oversight by inspectors.
tj/rc (dpa, AP)
 |
Luis Urzúa,
the leader of the trapped miners and the last of
the 33 to
be lifted to freedom, celebrates with
President Piñera
at San José
Mine, during "Operación San Lorenzo".
|
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The BBC’s James Read says the number 33 has taken on a special significance for the miners, who are known to be superstitious: there are 33 miners, it took 33 days for the drill to complete the rescue shaft and Roman Catholic Chileans believe Jesus Christ was 33 when he died. Even President Sebastian Pinera mentioned the “magic number” in his triumphant speech after the first miner emerged from the shaft. The date of the rescue 13/10/10, adds up to - you guessed it - 33.
"The 33 Miners" – Oct 24, 2012 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll)
"The 33 Miners" – Oct 24, 2012 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll)
"... So finally,
I give you an answer to a question that has not been asked, but is still on the
minds of many. What happened last week in Chile was not an accident [the saving
of 33 miners]. Everyone was amazed at how smooth it could be. So, look at the
numerology around it! Even the mainstream media noticed - 33, 33, 33. But the
media did not tell you the meaning of it, because they didn't know. To them, it
was just coincidental, so many 33s!
Let me tell
you what it means. Let us take a look at the numerology attributes of 33 from
the ancients to modern day. The number 33 is called a master number. It is not
to be broken apart numerologically, but you could still look at the attributes
of the three alone if you wish. The three in numerological terms is a catalyst
energy. A catalytic energy changes things around it. When you put two threes
together, they represent one of the highest energies on the planet. It's so
high that it's the last master number that is definable by humanity.
In
numerology, 44 has no definition. Even those in Tibet who helped originate the
numerological system said that 44 was multidimensional and had no paradigm of
definition. Neither did 55 or 66 or 77. Thus, 33 was the highest of all defined
master numbers and remains so to this day.
Now, don't
misunderstand what I'm going to tell you, for this definition is not about the
Human Being; it's about an attribute. Thirty-three is defined as the passion of
the Christ. Not the man, but the attribute [the noun, compassionate redeemer],
the passion of the Christ. Is there anything higher than this? The number 33 is
the highest compassion number of them all, and here it was right in Chile,
where the heart center moves to. This compassion for the miners was a metaphor
filled with energy and things to look at, but nothing will ever be the same
here. And how does it make you feel? ...."
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