Trapped Chilean Miners Watch Soccer Match
Franklin Lobos, a trapped miner who once played professionally for various teams in northern Chile and was part of the national team in 1984, acted as the match commentator.
A fiber-optic signal brought some joy and excitement to 33 trapped Chilean miners who were able to watch a live broadcast of the Chilean national soccer team's friendly match against Ukraine on Tuesday. A miniature projector snaked down a bore hole to display the game on an underground wall, creating an image 50 inches wide.
According to reports by Chilean newspapers, Franklin Lobos, a trapped miner who once played professionally for various teams in northern Chile and was part of the national team in 1984, acted as the match commentator. The miners cheered and sang in support of their national team as they watched the game. They were able to communicate with a team of engineers who made the transmission possible.
In Ukraine, Chile's national team wore T-shirts with messages of support for the miners. The men have been trapped since Aug. 5 after a landslide at the gold and copper mine in the Atacama desert caused a tunnel to collapse. They await rescue in a small chamber more than 2,200 feet below ground.
It's not clear how long the miners will be stuck underground. However, the Chilean government has said it could take until December to drill a hole big enough to pull them out, while other experts have said it could be take until late October.