Copiapo, Chile (CNN) -- Rescuers in Chile have just another 89 meters (292 feet) left to drill and are expected to break through into the area where 33 miners are trapped by Saturday, Chilean Mines Minister Laurence Golborne said Thursday.
Depending on whether engineers decide to encase the rescue shaft with steel casing, the 33 miners could be extracted from the collapsed San Jose gold and copper mine within two to 10 days after breakthrough, Golborne added.
The miners have been trapped in a chamber since August 5. They are in contact with the outside world through a small bore hole that is being used to send them food, water, supplies and other necessities.
Rescue crews have been drilling three separate, wider holes to send down a rescue capsule that will bring the men to the surface. Those rescue attempts have been labeled Plans A, B and C.
"We're advancing pretty well in Plan B. We restarted the drilling process and are hoping we can get contact more or less this Saturday. Depending [on] if we have to change the drill hammer or not it could be a bit earlier, but we're predicting [the] date for Saturday," Golborne said.
CNN
