Trapped Chilean miners go down deeper

Chilean miners move to a drier and cooler site deeper inside the San Jose gold and copper mine, where they were trapped since a cave-in 24 days ago, officials says.

Some of the 33 trapped Chilean miners have developed fungal infections and body sores from the hot, dank conditions in the part of the mine where they took refuge after an August 5 cave-in blocked their exit from the mine, AFP reports.

Mining Minister Laurence Golborne told reporters; “They are moving the camp from level 105 to level 75 which is a drier area.”

The new spot is about 300 meters deeper in the mine, he said.

Meanwhile engineers are working on a plan that they hope will dramatically speed up the rescue of the miners from a collapsed shaft. Workers are due on Monday to start drilling an escape shaft going about 700 meters underground, which is likely to take four months to complete.