Chile mine rescue operation

Chile pulled off the most spectacular rescue mission the world had seen in a long time. It was a story of hope and miracles. All 33 miners, trapped underground for 69 days, were finally rescued on October 14. Instead of the estimated 36-48 hours, the rescue operation was completed in 22 hours, 37 minutes. (AP Photo) See:How the rescue operation worked

After more than two months, the rescue of the 33 Chilean miners trapped in a collapsed mine was finally at hand. Victor Segovia, centre, was the fifteenth man to emerge from the mine.

The miners have been emerging at regular intervals in a pageant that has moved their worldwide audience — on television, computers, even cell phones — to tears and laughter. At left, people celebrated in Copiapó, Chile, near the mine. (NYT)

The most difficult rescue was that of Mario Gomez, 63, the oldest miner in the group, who had struggled with a lung condition. Gomez was the ninth man rescued. (NYT Photo)

Gomez's daughter, Roxana, watched her father's rescue on television outside the San Jose mine near Copiapo, Chile. (NYT Photo)

The miner Claudio Yanez, the eighth to be rescued, applauded as he was carried away in a stretcher. His girlfriend proposed to him in a letter sent while he was trapped. (NYT Photo)

Osman Araya, the sixth miner to be rescued, embraced his wife, Angelica, and pumped his hands in the air before settling himself into a stretcher. (NYT Photo)

Chile's President Sebastian Pinera embraces miner Florencio Antonio Avalos Silva after he was rescued from the collapsed San Jose gold and copper mine where he was trapped with 32 other miners for over two months near Copiapo in Chile. (AP Photo)

Relatives and friends of trapped miners celebrate while watching on a TV screen the rescue operation of Florencio Avalos at the camp outside the San Jose mine near Copiapo. (AP Photo)

Rescued miner Florencio Antonio Avalos Silva center is seen among rescue workers after coming out of the capsule after he was rescued from the collapsed San Jose gold and copper mine where he was trapped with 32 other miners. (AP Photo)

In this photo released by the Chilean presidential press office, Chile's President Sebastian Pinera, left, shakes hands his Mining Minister Laurence Golborne after watching on a monitor the arrival of rescuer Manuel Gonzalez, inside a capsule, to the trapped miners in the collapse San Jose mine. (AP Photo)

In this screen grab taken from video, the son of Florencio Avalos, the first miner to be rescued, front left, runs to greet his father after his rescue. (AP Photo)

Alfonso Avalos, right, father of trapped miner Florencio Avalos embraces a relative while watching on a TV screen the rescue capsule reaching the miners at the camp outside the San Jose mine near Copiapo. (AP Photo)

Rescuers and technicians prepared the Phoenix capsule, which underwent a series of tests on Tuesday. (NYT Photo)

A relative of one of the miners lit a candle on Tuesday as Chilean flags flew nearby. (NYT Photo)

Government officials said Tuesday that rescue workers had made quicker progress than expected. At left, the covered entrance to the tunnel drilled for the rescue operation. (NYT Photo)

Rescuers rehearsed raising the miners in a capsule specially designed to contain a human. (NYT Photo)

The Chilean policemen known as carabineros kept order. (NYT Photo)

The makeshift camp where relatives are staying, nicknamed Camp Hope, has taken on the feel of a carnival. (NYT Photo)

A policeman looked at the letters exchanged by one trapped miner, Mario Gómez, with his family. (NYT Photo)

Relatives of Mr. Gómez prepared to greet him before the rescue began. From left were Daniela Torres, Lissette Gallardo and Leslie Torres. (NYT Photo)

As the vast team of rescue workers, medical personnel, technicians and mining experts prepared to enter the final phase, the colorful scene reflected the huge size of the operation, which has captured the attention of the world. More than 1,400 journalists, together with anxious and elated family members of the miners, gathered to witness the rescue. (NYT Photo)