Breakthrough could come soon in mine rescue

HUNTINGTON, Emery County — Rescuers may finally break through a mountain to learn the fate of six miners trapped more than 1,800 feet underground in a collapsed mine shaft.

It may be early Friday morning before investigators finally know if the six men are alive or dead inside the Crandall Canyon Mine. A 2 1/2-inch hole being drilled was last reported to have reached a depth of 1,730 feet into a mountainside. Another hole, nearly 9-inches in size, has reached a depth of 720 feet. The larger hole being drilled may break through into the cavity where the miners are by Friday evening.

"We have a tremendous amount of resources here," said Richard Stickler, the assistant U.S. Labor secretary of the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

A C-17 cargo plane is on its way to Utah from Mississippi, carrying a truck with a high-resolution camera. It is expected to arrive at the mine site around midnight. The truck will be escorted by the Utah Highway Patrol from Salt Lake City.

It will take about two hours for crews to lower the camera inside the borehole and then they may be able to determine if the miners are alive. However, mine officials cautioned that the camera may end up in an area that the trapped miners could not reach.

A listening device will also be lowered down to the cavern where the miners are believed to be.

"The listening devices will have a light attached to them. The listening devices have a two way communication," said Stickler.

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, said Bob Murray, the president of Murray Energy Corp., which owns the mine.

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," Stickler said today.