Tuesday 24 August 2010

Chilean Mine Accident

If you haven't been following the international news, then know that one story is this: 33 miners have been confirmed alive after 17 days trapped underground. View one of these links for the story:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11056607

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2010/08/23/world/international-us-chile-mine-accident.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/08/23/chile.miners/index.html?hpt=T2#fbid=3YAolLse24u&wom=false

The strange thing to me is that, while the rescuers-to-be are consistently saying that it may take 4 months to bring the miners up (to truly 'rescue' them), no one has yet focused on the psychological implications of 1) being underground for 3 weeks, or 2) remaining underground for another 4 months.

I am very surprised that the media has been so slow on the uptake.

How are these miners going to remain not only physically healthy but also mentally sane for 4 months? I would already be talking about lowering them books and board games and setting up comm links and so on. Providing a 'natural' night and day cycle. Creating an exercise regimen. But no peep on that so far.

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