All five workers who were trapped underground at Codelco’s El Teniente copper mine following a tunnel collapse last week have been confirmed dead, bringing the total death toll from the incident to six, authorities said on Sunday, reported by Reuters.
Final Body Recovered After Days of Rescue Efforts
Aquiles Cubillo, regional prosecutor for the O’Higgins region, announced that the fifth and final trapped worker was found dead on Sunday afternoon, following extensive rescue operations that involved clearing over 25 meters (78 feet) of collapsed tunnels.
One Killed Immediately, Five Trapped After Collapse
The accident occurred on Thursday evening, during a strong underground tremor at the mine, one of the world’s largest copper operations. One worker was killed immediately in the incident, while five others were trapped.
Bodies Recovered Over Two Days
Rescuers located the first of the five trapped workers on Saturday, followed by three more bodies on Sunday morning. The final recovery came later in the day. Codelco, Chile’s state-owned copper giant, has not yet released a statement regarding the final recovery.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the collapse and the tremor that triggered it. Codelco previously halted operations in the affected area as a precaution and pledged full cooperation with the ongoing probe.
