COPIAPO, Chile, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- One of three drilling plans to reach 33 miners trapped in a Chilean mine begins in earnest but officials said workers likely won't be extracted until November.
Andre Sougarret, manager of the state copper mining company, said the plan calls for a drill to descend vertically for at least 131 feet before being angled to reach the underground ramp leading to the miners, CNN reported Wednesday.
The option, normally used for oil drilling, is "Plan C," one of three plans officials are using to try to reach the workers trapped 2,300 feet underground near Copiapo since early August.
Sougarret said drillers will attach directional motors to the machinery, slowing its speed to about 3 feet an hour, but adding that drilling 65 to 99 feet a day "would be a good average".
Government engineers also are finalizing designs for three rescue capsules that will be sent down the finished rescue shaft to remove the miners individually, Sougarret said. The rescue capsules will take 10 to 12 days to build.
UPI
