Chile to punish those responsible for mine accident
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Chile says it will prosecute those responsible for the mine collapse that trapped 33 miners for more than two months before being freed Wednesday.
Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said Thursday that, although all the miners were saved, those responsible for the accident could not go unpunished.
Pinera said the mine accident was a big lesson for both the government and the public, and the government and judiciary would prosecute those responsible.
The government would soon promulgate new measures on labor safety, requiring such industries as mining, construction, transport, agriculture and fisheries to create conditions that ensured work safety, he said.
He also said the rescue operation had cost 10 million to 20 million U.S.dollars and two-thirds of the expense came from the Chilean government and the state-run companies.
Any companies failing to meet the safety standards would be ordered to stop their business operations, he said.
The San Jose gold and copper mine, located in the desert in northern Chile, collapsed on Aug. 5, trapping 33 miners some 700 meters underground.
The Chilean government, backed with equipment from various foreign countries, including China, launched an unprecedented rescue operation.
The final dash to pull the 33 miniers out started Tuesday night. Florencio Avalos, the first miner reaching the surface, was welcomed by his family and President Pinera, as well as hundreds of others among waves of applause, cheers, sirens, and camera spotlights.
After him, came Mario Sepulveda, Juan Illanes, Carlos Mamani,Jimmy Sanchez, Oman Amaya, Juan Ojeda, Caludio Yanez, Mario Gomez, Alex Vega, Carlos Barrios, Victor Zamora, Victor Segovia and Omar Reyada.
The rescue operation ended when foreman Luis Urzua, the last trapped miner, walked out of a four-meter-high steel capsule built by the Chilean Navy that carried him to the ground through a 662-meter shaft. It marked a historic moment in mine rescues.
When Urzua reached the surface, rescue chief Andres Sougarret reported to Pinera immediately, saying "all the rescued miners are in perfect health condition".
When Pinera greeted and talked with Urzua, the miner who had spent 70 days underground said: "I expect this never to happen again in Chile..."
After the success of the rescue, Chileans reveled in glory. Many countries also congratulated Chile on the rescue operation.
Yet, after the jubilation, the safety of the mine, among others, is in question.
Officials at the San Jose mine might be questioned why the mine was allowed to operate, as some people believe the mine collapsed because it was overworked and violated safety codes.
Some families of the rescued miners reportedly have sued the mine's owners for negligence.
President Pinera has said the mine will "definitely never open again."
He also said the conditions that allowed the accident "will not go unpunished and those responsible will have to "assume their responsibility".
