Four of Five Trapped Workers at Codelco's El Teniente Mine Confirmed Dead Amid Rescue Efforts

Tragically, four out of five workers trapped following a collapse at Codelco's El Teniente copper mine have been confirmed dead, according to company officials. Rescue efforts are ongoing to navigate the underground passages that caved in during a significant earthquake last week. The incident, which occurred Thursday evening, resulted in the death of one worker at the scene, bringing the total fatalities to five. Rescue teams managed to locate the first trapped worker on Saturday, with additional survivors found early Sunday, and a fourth victim recovered later that morning, stated Andes Music, General Manager of El Teniente. "We have been working tirelessly overnight, carefully examining every meter," he said during a press briefing. "While we remain hopeful, we must acknowledge the harsh reality." Currently, rescue operations have cleared 24 meters of the blocked tunnels in the Andesita section of the mine, out of an estimated 90 meters needed to reach the trapped individuals. The collapse was triggered by a powerful tremor measuring 4.2 in magnitude, one of the strongest recorded at El Teniente, which struck around 5:30 p.m. local time. Codelco is investigating whether the i...