Rescuers may reach trapped Utah miners Friday morning

HUNTINGTON, Emery County — Rescuers now say it will be early Friday morning before they may finally make contact with six trapped miners in a collapsed mine shaft inside the Crandall Canyon Mine.

A 2½-inch hole being drilled was last reported to have reached a depth of 1,620 feet into a mountainside. Another hole, nearly 9-inches in size, has reached a depth of 462 feet. The larger hole being drilled may break through into the cavity where the miners are by Friday evening.

"Those men can probably hear that drill rig if they're alive," Bob Murray, the mine's owner, told reporters at a news conference this morning.

This afternoon, trucks were seen making regular trip to supply yards outside the mine, carrying reinforcements of steel posts and wood beams to help stabilize the shaft for the underground rescue efforts.

UtahAmerican Energy officials said tonight that rescuers working underground are now 2,290 feet from the trapped miners.

The miners are now believed to be deeper inside the mine — at a level of about 1,869 feet underground. Efforts to reach the miners through underground means may still take another six to seven days, Murray said.

A pair of 2-inch video cameras are at the drilling site and will be sent down the hole. The cameras will provide rescue crews a vertical-only view with a 36-inch range in the shaft. Audio equipment also will be dropped down the hole allowing crews to speak to the miners and hear any response.

"We may get no noise. They may be dead," said Murray.

Murray said there's also a possibility the small drill may have drifted and not end up at its expected target. If that's the case, crews immediately begin drilling another 2 1/2-inch hole, said Rob Moore, vice-president of Murray Energy.

The trapped miners have been identified as Manuel Sanchez, Kerry Allred, Luis Hernandez, Carlos Payan, Brandon Phillips and Don Erickson. Family members confirmed some of the names and shared stories about the men.

Authorities don't know if the miners are alive or dead.

Rescue efforts

Rescuers are working around the clock to reach the trapped miners.

"There's been significant progress made in all areas of the rescue operation," assistant U.S. Labor Secretary Richard Stickler said today.

Movement underground mostly has subsided, Stickler said, though there's constant noise coming from the roof of the shaft as the mountain continues to settle.