Dominican government seeks alternatives to push miners rescue
President Luis Abinader yesterday visited the Cerro Maimón mine, where miners Gregores Alexander Méndez and Colombian Carlos Yépez remain trapped.
After talking with the miners, the president said that the Dominican State will make all the necessary efforts for a successful rescue.
He explained that they have sought a third rescue alternative, which is the construction of a third tunnel for which they are seeking support from the Government of Canada, while the second is advancing rapidly.
In addition, he ordered that one of the tunnel boring machines of the Office for the Reorganization of Transportation and Land Traffic (OPRET), which is being used for the construction of the Metro in Los Alcarrizos, to be mobilized to the mining company so that it can reinforce the rescue work. “Our focus is to get these two people out alive and that is why we are here,” the president told the press, at the time he sent messages of faith and hope and asked them to remain calm.
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He pointed out that work is being done from all government institutions, with the support of the Ministry of Public Health and psychologists from that unit to provide permanent assistance to both families and miners. “They are in an area of 360 square meters, which is a loose area,” he explained.
On her side, the vice president of the Dominican Mining Corporation (Cormidom), Elizabeth Mena, affirmed that everything humane is being done to rescue the two miners in the fastest and safest way. She assured that they have a rescue team of around 70 people who are working for 24 hours.
She added that they are in a fairly controlled area from an oxygen standpoint.
How’s the rescue going?
According to what was explained by the director of Mining, Rolando Muñoz, the second tunnel that is built only lacks an average of 50.1 meters of the 73.1 meters, which according to the planning that was carried out was to advance between 4.5 meters to 6 meters per day, a figure that has been doubled, he explained.
“Before designing the tunnel for the salvation gallery, an evaluation of the quality of the rock was carried out in order to advance faster,” although it did not establish a specific date for the rescue.
He clarified that the construction of the third tunnel is due to the fact that international protocols establish that there are two alternate routes, but he does not believe that it is necessary to use it, since the second tunnel is advancing at an accelerated rate.
As for the main tunnel, the official said that it is more vulnerable, therefore the cleaning of debris is slow and takes more time.
Miners food
Cormidom explained that the miners have food, health services, products
Family attends mass in cry for rescue success
Clamor. Yesterday the Méndez family and Corpardom held two Eucharists, separately, so that the rescue efforts are successful.
The first mass was held at the Mina Cerro facilities in the morning and the second in the Los Martínez de Cotuí community in the afternoon.
We are confident in God that these miners will come out safely to the surface,” Griseldea Linoa told El Día, pointing out that they are sure that the Government and the mine are doing everything possible to rescue them. “An example of this is that the president came here, he talked with them and even laughed with them.
Also read – One of the trapped Dominican miners talks with his relatives
