Rescue-operation at San Jose to begin today

Site of the San Jose mine. Photo courtesy Roberto Guerra

The international media circus surrounding the rescue of the 33 trapped miners at San Jose has undoubtedly turned the disaster into one of the most trying psychological trials in history.

Experts have been called in from all over the world to collaborate on a rescue effort expected to take up to four months, and that should formally begin today.

But media agencies around the world have focused their attention on a second,psychological, rescue effort that has been underway since  contact was established with the miners a little more than a week ago.

As radio and television show hosts consider the (un)likelihood of a “Lord of the Flies” scenario,  the Chilean Ministry of health has brought in a team of psychologists, and NASA experts to stabilize and monitor the mental conditions of the trapped miners.

This means that along with traditional medical remedies—a series of vaccinations against tetanus, diphtheria, and  influenza is set to end on Wednesday—  government rescue efforts have purportedly  sent anti-depressants  down to the miners to insure good spirits.

NASA experts—who say that the miner’s isolation is not dissimilar to those experienced by astronauts in the  International Space Station- indicate, however, that, more important than drugs, is the establishment of a daily routine to keep the miners occupied  and to simulate a reality closer to ‘every day’, despite the fact that they will be living for a prolonged period of time without changes of light or temperature.

The situation may have labeled by many as “ as extreme as it gets”, but officials maintain that the miners remain in good spirits.  Alberto Iturra, the chief psychologist on the team assigned to maintain the mental-health of the miners indicates that the fact that the miners were the first to establish contact when the first communication duct was opened, is a sign that the group has remained united, active, and in good spirits despite their situation.  Moreover, it has been suggested that the group size of 33 may be integral to the group’s survival, because it provides the social diversity necessary to mitigate conflicts.

Whatever the case, it is absolutely critical that the miners be in both good health and good spirits throughout, as they themselves will need to participate in their own rescue operation.  Reports allege that they will need to work around the clock in shifts to remove up to 4,000 metric-tons of debris in order to successfully create the tunnel that will lift them to safety, one-by-one.