This is an amazing story of survival. Can you imagine being trapped 1 kim underground for two weeks in a cage 1.2m x 1.5m.
QUOTE |
Beaconsfield miners freed after trapped for two weeks Trapped Tasmanian miners Brant Webb and Todd Russell have walked back into the light after being trapped nearly a kilometre underground for two weeks. Looking amazingly robust and well after their ordeal, the two men stepped out of the lift cage at 0600AEST, raising their arms as the crowd cheered and sirens wailed, then flipping the tags that denote that a miner has returned safe from underground. |
Offtopic but, The media coverage of this tragedy has raised many questions. It was over-the-top, intrusive and a circus to say the least. Grieving family members were harassed as was just about everyone in the town. |
International Level: Negotiator / Political Participation: 453 45.3%
I had not realized they had been trapped for 2 weeks. I think it only became front page news here in the US a couple of days ago. I also did not realize a journalist died while covering the story. As for the media frenzy, it was similar to what the Sago miners and their families went through just a few months ago. I was happy to hear the 2 miners were eventually freed and are in good health.
International Level: Envoy / Political Participation: 241 24.1%
I am so glad that some of the miners survived. If you remember the last time this happened, last year, it was announced that they all survived, but indeed only one of them survived. The media coverage has been so rugged because of the slip up of information last time. I think they wanted to make sure that they got every little piece of information right, thus they went over the top.
Actually, I am not sure the Australian press learnt the lessons of the US disaster. The media were parasites on this occasion. They reported anything and everything including when the miners even brushed their teeth. General programming was constantly invaded by meaningless updates trying to glorify and pad out a mining accident. I think by the end of it most Australians had switched of commercial TV and went to the public broadcasters.
But what is it about mining disasters that captivate's the wider community?
Playing the devil's advocate, they get paid a lot of money and it is widely accepted as one of the most dangerous jobs going around.
International Level: Negotiator / Political Participation: 453 45.3%