Mexican military divers rescued a miner from a flooded underground tunnel in the state of Sinaluna on Wednesday, ending a 14-day ordeal.
Francisco Zapata Nájera, 42, was trapped 300 meters below the surface after an embankment collapsed at a gold mine. The collapse occurred when a tailings dam, used to hold mining waste, burst on March 25.
Rescuers located Zapata after more than 300 hours of searching. Divers spotted the rhythmic blinking of his torch light, which he used to signal his position through the dark, flooded tunnels.
"Your torchlight helped us a lot," one of the divers told him as they reached his location.
Zapata responded, "I didn't lose faith, I didn't lose faith."
The rescue operation
The extraction process was not immediate due to rising water levels. Divers initially had to leave Zapata in the flooded tunnel with supplies, including cans of tuna and energy bars, while teams worked to pump water out.
After 20 hours of pumping operations, rescue teams were able to bring Zapata to the surface on an electric cart. He was wrapped in a thermal blanket and transported via helicopter to a local hospital.
Doctors reported that while Zapata is frail, his condition remains stable. He is currently receiving medical treatment and has been reunited with his family.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum praised the efforts of the Mexican army and commended Zapata's resilience. She described the successful extraction as an "astounding rescue."
While Zapata has been saved, the search for another miner remains ongoing. Out of the 25 workers present during the initial dam failure, one worker has died and one person remains missing.
