A Miner Miracle: Five Years After the Chilean Rescue (2015)

Five years after the collapse of the San Jose gold and copper mine that trapped 33 miners for 69 days, CNN correspondent Rosa Flores travels to Chile to speak with three of the miners. She also speaks with the drillers who worked around the clock on their improbable and miraculous rescue. The hour-long CNN Special Report, A Miner Miracle: Five Years After the Chilean Rescue airs Tuesday, August 4, at 9pmET/PT on CNN and via CNNgo.

Jorge Galleguillos can’t shake the tragedy from his mind. He was one of the 33 men trapped a half-mile beneath the hard rock of Chile’s Atacama Desert. He remembers praying to live while preparing to die. Finally, a small drill broke through to the men, allowing them to send an astounding message: ‘All 33 of us are alive.’ Their 69 days underground and their triumphant rescue stunned the world who watched it live on television. The men became globe-trotting celebrities with multiple movie and book offers; however, five years later, Galleguillos and most of the miners still live very humble and difficult lives. Many of the men battle demons and have trouble keeping steady work. And no one was ever held accountable for the collapse of the San Jose gold and copper mine.

During the CNN Special Report, Flores interviews former Chilean President Sebastian Pinera, whose optimism for their rescue rallied a nation and the world. She also speaks with Jeff Hart, the drilling expert who successfully carved a tunnel through the earth and helped save the 33 courageous men.