The first of 33 miners trapped deep underground in northern Chile for more than two months has arrived at the surface after being winched to safety in a dramatic rescue mission that has gripped the world.
Florencio Avalos, a father of two and an experienced miner, emerged from a specially designed capsule to be greeted by his wife and tearful seven-year-old son Bairon, carrying a balloon in the Chilean flag’s red, white and blue colours. Mr Avalos wore a T-shirt signed with goodwill messages and looked in good health, walking unaided and smiling. Rescue workers at the surface had tears in their eyes and specators cheered as he hugged his son, wife and Sebastián Piñera, the president.
Earlier footage from the area nearly half a mile underground where the men have been ensconced for more than two months showed the miners cheering and hugging Manuel González, a mine rescue expert, as he reached them and emerged from the rescue capsule, dubbed “Phoenix”.