"What we are dealing with is nature, where the seismic forces have not yet settled down," he said. "So our progress underground has been much slower than I like."

The men have been trapped underground since early Monday morning, when a section of the mine they were in collapsed in an event so powerful it registered 3.9 on the Richter scale.

The 8 5/8-inch hole broke through into the cavern about 3 a.m. today. That drilling came "within a fraction of an inch of its intended target," Murray said.

The hole will allow rescuers to get air, water, food and communication to the six trapped miners. Early this morning, rescuers began pumping oxygen into a 2 1/2-inch hole that punched through into the cavern on Friday. Samples of the air taken in that part of the mine had revealed there was not enough oxygen to sustain human life.

A microphone lowered into the hole was unable to detect any human noise.

Working underground, rescuers found a piece of mining equipment early this morning. A cable sled was found buried under debris, giving crews another sign that they are getting closer to where the trapped miners are believed to be located.

Rescue teams had advanced 650 feet into the mine by 4 a.m. today.

Family briefing

Today, Murray took the son of one of the trapped miners and the brother of another into the mine to view the rescue efforts. The families have been on an emotional roller coaster, said those who have been close to them throughout the ordeal.

"It was sad," Emery County Sheriff Lamar Guymon told the Deseret Morning News this morning after a meeting with the families.

"As it is every time. Until they get something positive, it's going to be about the same," he said.

Family members of Luis Hernandez told reporters they were keeping up hope.

The families of Carlos Payan, Manuel Sanchez and Hernandez issued a statement Friday through their Catholic church.

"We, the Sanchez, Payan and Hernandez families, want to thank you immensely for your prayers at this difficult moment. During this moment, we feel the loving presence of God in the midst of our pain. We ask you to continue praying for our six miners trapped in the mine. From the bottom of our hearts we thank you again for all your support," they said.

"Also, we would like to ask you to light a candle and raise a prayer for our six miners. GRACIAS."

A prayer meeting will be held tonight at an LDS chapel in Huntington, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Funds to help the families of the miners have been set up at Zions Bank and at Huntington's city hall.

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E-mail: preavy@desnews.com; bwinslow@desnews.com; jdana@desnews.com