MEXICO CITY: Mexico will ask both a German and a U.S. company to help rescue 10 miners who have been trapped in a coal mine for nearly two weeks, officials said on Tuesday, as families urged quicker action to save the trapped men.
The Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond when asked which two companies it contacted.
The miners became confined underground at the Pinabete mine in the northern border state of Coahuila on Aug. 3 when a tunnel wall collapsed, triggering flooding throughout the mine.
Water surged more than halfway up the 60-meter (197-foot) mine shafts, and officials have struggled to extract enough water and debris such as piping and wooden planks to be able to safely send rescue teams into the mine.
Laura Velazquez, head of Mexico's civil protection agency, said Mexican officials, including the Foreign Ministry, would speak with the companies on Tuesday.
"They are two companies that will give us an opinion to determine our actions with more precision," she told a regular government news conference.
Engineers meanwhile are pumping water out of Pinabete while working on sealing off the nearby Conchas Norte mine - where water that has accumulated for more than 25 years is now rushing into Pinabete due to the underground tunnel collapse.
Relatives of the trapped miners said their frustration has mounted with each delay and blamed the government for not acting faster.
"They haven't been able to solve anything," said Javier Tijerina, whose brother Hugo Tijerina is trapped below. "It's an embarrassment that this country doesn't have rescue personnel who are trained and prepared for situations like these."
Hugo's wife Erika Escobedo said she was trying to keep hope of seeing her husband again, yet was concerned officials may have missed a chance to find the miners when water levels were lower several days ago.
"It's all going so slowly ... They had to get them out when they still could," she said.
Reuters
Wed Aug 17 2022
An aerial view shows the coal mine El Pinabete where miners remain trapped after it collapsed, in Sabinas, Coahuila state, Mexico August 15, 2022. - REUTERS
PRK KKB: PN ketandusan idea, main isu perkauman - Fahmi
Fahmi minta jentera PN bagi PRK KKB itu supaya menghentikan bermain dengan sentimen perkauman kerana ia ibarat "senjata makan tuan".
Malaysia guna hubungan baik pelbagai negara bantu henti kekejaman di Gaza - PM Anwar
Katanya, strategi melibatkan pelbagai negara harus dirangka kerana penindasan di Gaza bukan lagi isu yang hanya melibatkan OIC dan Islam.
PRK KKB: Ahmad Zahid yakin ahli UMNO sokong calon Kerajaan Perpaduan
Ahmad Zahid yakin ahli parti itu di DUN Kuala Kubu Baharu akan memberikan sokongan kepada calon Kerajaan Perpaduan pada PRK DUN itu, 11 Mei ini.
Piala Thomas: Malaysia diundi bertemu Jepun di suku akhir
Skuad kebangsaan akan meneruskan kempen demi misi membawa Piala Thomas pulang ke tanah air sejak kali terakhir memenanginya pada 1992.
Kenaikan gaji: Fahami konteks, berlaku adil buat perbandingan - Fahmi
Isu timbul selepas ada pihak mendakwa kenaikan paling tinggi adalah sebanyak 35 peratus pada era pentadbiran perdana menteri kelima, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Kerajaan sedia terima kritikan, namun, tidak bertolak ansur sentimen 3R - PM Anwar
Kebebasan bersuara yang diperuntukkan dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan bukan bermakna kebebasan untuk mencerca dan memaki hamun sesuka hati.
ADUN Sungai Bakap ditidurkan akibat keradangan perut
Muhammad Fauzi dimaklumkan oleh ahli keluarga Nor Zamri berhubung keadaan kesihatan beliau yang ketika ini ditidurkan.
NCEC setuju transformasi perundangan sisa pepejal diadakan - KPKT
Mesyuarat NCEC bersetuju mengadakan transformasi perundangan bagi sisa pepejal.
AirAsia yakin mampu harungi pergerakan mata wang tidak menggalakkan, kenaikan harga bahan api
AirAsia yakin mampu tangani kenaikan harga bahan api dan pergerakan mata wang tidak menggalakkan yang berpanjangan, yang terus meningkatkan cabaran global.
JPN pergiat masuk pedalaman kampung Orang Asli, daftar sijil kelahiran, MyKad
JPN mempergiatkan inisiatif memasuki kawasan pedalaman Orang Asli bagi mengurangkan kelewatan daftar kelahiran dan MyKad komuniti itu.
Suspek pembunuhan empat lelaki Islam ditahan di New Mexico AS
Seorang suspek ditahan berhubung pembunuhan empat lelaki Islam sejak sembilan bulan lalu di Albuquerque, di New Mexico, Amerika Syarikat.
Richard Branson lengkapkan misi angkasa lepas
Hartawan Richard Branson melengkapkan misi angkasa lepas, apabila pesawat angkasa Virgin Galactic berjaya mendarat di Spaceport, New Mexico.
Bekas Setiausaha Pertahanan AS, Donald Rumsfeld meninggal dunia
Mendiang, yang merupakan arkitek perang Iraq, meninggal dunia pada usia 88 tahun.
Kemalangan udara: Lima maut belon udara panas terhempas
Gondola terlepas dari belon panas dan jatuh sekitar 100 kaki, lalu terhempas di tengah jalan kota yang sibuk sebelum terbakar.
Gara-gara ketagihan arak, 3 maut minum cecair pensanitasi tangan
Golongan gelandangan di kawasan itu sering menyalah guna cecair pembasmi kuman serta beberapa produk lain sebagai pengganti kepada minuman beralkohol.
Mangsa kemalangan selamat lahirkan anak kembar
Wanita tersebut dilaporkan dalam keadaan stabil manakala bayi kembarnya dimasukkan ke unit rapi neo-natal.
Dua pelajar mati ditembak di New Mexico
Dua pelajar terbunuh dalam kejadian tembakan di sekolah di Aztex, Nex Mexico, dengan suspek penembak turut disahkan maut.