Hope Fades for Trapped Chilean Miners

The hope of finding the 33 trapped miners alive in Chile is now fast dwindling. Despite frantic rescue efforts to reach the group of miners trapped about 400 meters below the ground for six days there has been no word on the condition of the workers.

The entrance to the San Esteban copper mine collapsed and trapped the miners on August 5. The authorities are hoping that the miners took refuge in a shelter equipped with oxygen and are rationing food and water.

President Sebastian Pinera has sacked top officials of the mining regulator in Chile and has vowed a major overhaul in its functioning. He has dismissed Alejandro Vio the director of Chile's geological and mining service known as Sernageomin as well as two other officials.

Efforts to find and rescue the miners continue but after so much time having lapsed there is little hope of finding survivors alive.