Mexican army divers have rescued a miner from a flooded underground tunnel two weeks after he was first trapped.
Francisco Zapata Nájera, 42, was stuck 300m (985ft) below ground after an embankment collapsed at the gold mine in the northern Mexican state of Sinaloa. Video footage of the rescue shows him standing in waist-deep water, reassuring his rescuers that he never lost faith during his ordeal.
The search continues for another miner who remains missing. On March 25, twenty-five workers were inside the gold mine when the tailings dam – a structure that holds mining waste – burst. While twenty-one managed to escape, four were trapped. José Alejandro Cástulo was rescued after five days, but it took rescue teams a full 13 days to locate Francisco Zapata.
After more than 300 hours of searching, divers located Zapata by spotting the blinking of his torch light, which he used to signal his whereabouts. How are you? How are you? rescuers asked as they reached him, identifying themselves as specialized military divers who noted his torchlight had significantly aided them in their search.
I didn't lose faith, I didn't lose faith, Zapata reassured his rescuers. However, his ordeal was not yet over. Due to flooding in the tunnel leading to his location, divers could not immediately extract him. They left him with supplies, including water, cans of tuna, and energy bars, promising to return soon.
After 20 hours, rescuers used pumps to lower the water level, allowing Zapata to be brought to the surface safely. Wrapped in a thermal blanket, he was transported by helicopter to a hospital where he was reunited with his family. Medical staff reported that he was frail but stable and would receive necessary treatment.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum commended both the Mexican army and Zapata for his faith, which made this astounding rescue possible.
