El Teniente Mine Tragedy: All Trapped Miners Found Dead After Collapse

Chile's El Teniente copper mine has concluded its rescue operations after locating all five trapped miners deceased following a collapse last week, according to Codelco, the state-owned mining company. The total fatalities reached six, including one worker who died during the incident on Thursday evening, 70 hours prior to the discovery of the last victim. Codelco's Chairman, Maximo Pacheco, announced plans to assemble international experts to investigate the incident's cause and assess safety protocols. The collapse was triggered by a significant tremor measuring 4.2 magnitude, one of the strongest recorded at El Teniente. It remains uncertain whether the seismic event was natural or induced by mining activities. "We are committed to understanding what transpired," Pacheco stated during a press briefing in Rancagua, near the mine. He expressed deep regret over the tragedy. In response, President Gabriel Boric declared three days of national mourning. The trapped workers, aged between 29 and 34, were employed by the excavation company Gardilcic. As the rescue efforts unfolded over the weekend, many community members paid tribute outside the mine with candles, Chilean flags, an...