Family members react to the news that the drilling effort has reached the trapped miners as flocks of journalists try to capture that reaction in Copiapo, Chile, on Saturday.
As the 33 trapped Chilean miners prepare for a long-awaited ride to the surface, family members are enduring their own emotional roller coaster.
Days of waiting are punctuated by brief celebrations of milestones in the rescue effort at the San José mine site in northern Chile.
Joyful moments tend to be short-lived, anxiety returning with the realization that it will still be days before their loved ones might be returned to the surface.
The latest milestone came early Monday, when the process of encasing the first 96 meters of the rescue shaft was completed at 4 a.m. ET.
Celebration erupted early Saturday when news broke that the Plan B drill had pierced through to the miners, a major step forward in bringing the miners above ground. Horns blew, bells rang, and family members embraced, rushing to a nearby hill where Chilean flags were planted in honor of each of the trapped miners.
Officials have been diligent in keeping family members notified of the progress in the rescue efforts. Chilean Mining Minister Laurence Golborne has been making the rounds to each of the makeshift base camps set up by the families. During an impromptu visit with relatives of Kaky Lobos on Sunday night, he answered some questions - but mostly just tried to make an otherwise unbearable situation livable.
The thirst for information extends beyond the family to the myriad members of the national and worldwide press. Cameras and boom microphones quickly swarm the car of any official entering or exiting the gate leading to the mine, hoping for an update.
Some family members try avoid the media altogether. Even authorities are beginning to show irritation. After being encompassed by another group of eager reporters while walking through the camp Monday morning, Golborne expressed his frustrations.
"This isn't how we're doing this," he said. "We have protocol. I'm not going to say anything now."
As of Monday morning, officials say, things are on track for a Wednesday rescue attempt.
Does anyone at CNN.com proof copy anymore...or are the editors as linguistically impaired as the rest of our rapidly declining civilization? Bells "rung." Really? How about bell rang or bells were rung...Every day, there are so many errors in spelling, grammar...and who knows how many "facts." Very, very shoddy work.
A proper ellipsis has spaces between the periods . . .
Lee, I think you need a new hobby.
I always get a laugh out of self-appointed grammar police who make grammatical errors in their complaints.
Does Lee need a new hobby? Or does the writer need a new career? Does Lee's grammar have any affect on the validity of his point? Shouldn't paid writers have better grammar than the above story?
and we cRE bout this why?????
The grammar Nazi has spoken. "No news for YOU!"
We are all joyful their ordeal is almost over . . .
No doubt of a flood of movies though.
It does, Brett? I've checked two sites and they all show it as ...
There should be a space before and after it, however.
The media is dominated by a bunch of greedy, liberal blood-sucking basstards who have gotten rich over reporting on the and triumps of others. They have no regard for others feelings, just in making their bucks.
Lol, go to FOX News then.
A have a strong feeling some fat guy wont fit in the rescue capsule.
Hey Joe...don't think there are too many "fat" guys down there after two months down there.
Joe, pretty lame comment. Do you realize how long these guys have been in that mine? The "fattest" of them going in will look a bit stringy by now. Not a lot of junk food available down there. They will probably start with sending up the smallest or most weak, so that no one is stuck down there unable to help himself.
I can't imagine why you'd feel obligated to make such an inane comment.
Why is CNN not streaming live from the Chilean Mine Rescue ?
Sparky ... because ... read Jack's reply. It will be too expensive. lol. Bon chance pour les miners. lol.
I believe the Almighty God will help these miners to get back to world.
because ... read jack reply. It will be too expensive. lol. bon chance pour les miners. lol.
It sounds like a party overtheir. I bet all the wives n girlfriends will dump these guys after the hype is over!
Why does everybody look fat at the site?
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