Mine collapse in Coahuila: The rescue could take up to 6 months
AMLO stated during a conference that it could take up to six months to free the miners who were trapped in El Pinabete in Coahuila. After that, a memorial service will be held.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) announced in the morning today September 6, 2022, that the strategy for the rescue of the miners in El Pinabete could take up to six months, which was accepted by the direct relatives.
"That another rescue strategy is carried out, this option was presented to the relatives, they accepted and work is already underway to rescue the miners", he added.
In the morning, Laura Velázquez Alzúa, head of the National Civil Protection Coordination (CNPC), explained that the first works to build the open pit have already started, which will allow the rescue of the miners.
On Saturday, September 3, the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) measured water levels and quality, made a topographic survey, rehabilitated the access road, and removed infrastructure in the vicinity of the mine.
According to the official, an excavation of five million cubic meters will be made for the open pit, and when it is ready, the miners will be searched and recovered, then the mine will be backfilled, and closed and a memorial will be built.
Compensation to miners' families will be delivered this week
It is foreseen that in six months the rescuers will reach the galleries where the 10 miners are, there will be permanent pumping and the entry of water will be controlled so that there is no risk of filtrations.
In her participation in the morning news today, September 6, 2022, the head of the CNPC reminded us that the miners' relatives accepted that the open pit will be carried out and that the compensation will be paid before September 9.
She also explained that the possible cause of the accident is associated with the uncontrolled exploitation process at the El Pinabete mine and the accumulation of water at Conchas Norte.
When the workers got too close to the existing flooded galleries of the Conchas Norte mine, they caused the breakage of the coal seam walls and the sudden entry of contained water, added Velázquez Alzúa.
The Conchas Norte mine is located south of El Pinabete, it stopped operating in 1996 due to flooding because the fireman was unaffordable, during 28 years water accumulated, and an approximate estimate of the volume retained in the galleries is 1.9 million cubic meters.
