In the pitch darkness, a 'Pung' sound... Surviving miner says, "I thought there was no hope and cried for a long time"

Two Miners from Bonghwa Gwangsan Survive Dramatically After 221 Hours on the Night of the 4th
Initially Sustained by Coffee Mix for 3 Days, Then by Falling Water
Rapid Health Recovery... "Expected to Be Discharged Within a Few Days"

Two miners who were trapped in a zinc mining collapse accident in Bonghwa-gun, Gyeongbuk, were safely rescued and are walking out around 11 p.m. on the 10th day of the incident on the 4th. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] Two miners who were dramatically rescued after being trapped for 221 hours in the Bonghwa mine collapse accident are reported to be recovering their health safely.

According to Yonhap News on the 5th, Chief of Nephrology Department at Andong Hospital in Gyeongbuk, Dr. Bang Jonghyo (attending physician), said to reporters, "The two patients are recovering mentally and physically at a very fast pace," adding, "It seems they were generally in very good physical condition." He also added, "We expect both to be discharged within a few days."

Previously, on the night of the 4th, the tenth day since the Bonghwa mine collapse accident, the trapped team leader Park (62) and assistant worker Park (56) walked out of the tunnel, relieving many people's worries.

They were trapped underground at a depth of 190 meters after about 900 tons of mud (estimated by the company) poured down the first vertical shaft of the zinc mining mine in Jaesan-myeon, Bonghwa, Gyeongbuk, around 6 p.m. on the 26th of last month, but were miraculously rescued.

At the time of the accident, the two tried various methods to escape but to no avail. They first searched around the tunnel for an exit but faced difficulties as large rocks blocked every path. In an interview with Yonhap News, team leader Park said, "In desperation, I took a hoe and dug about 10 meters into the visible rocks, but there was no sign of breaking through."

He explained, "I also tried blasting twice using about 20 sticks of explosives I had, but that amount only caused some rocks to fall off slightly." He also mentioned that he was worried that the blasting might harm other trapped people or rescuers.

After failing to create an escape hole with two blasts, the two climbed upward using ladders to find another exit, attempting rock climbing. They also made a tent with plastic sheets inside the tunnel and tried lighting a fire to send survival signals, but there was no response outside the tunnel.

As time passed, on the night of the dramatic rescue (the 4th), the two were losing hope. Park said, "Our energy was fading, and all the supplies we had were running out," adding, "Around lunchtime on the rescue day, I first said, 'It seems we have no hope left.'"

To make matters worse, the batteries of their headlamps were about to run out. Park recalled, "Both lamps flickered and were about to go out," and said, "We hugged each other and cried for a long time, thinking it would really be difficult now."

Just as anxiety grew and hope faded, Park heard the sound of an explosion near his ear in the pitch darkness. At that moment, he thought they might be rescued, and he and his colleague moved to a nearby place. With the help of 119 special rescue team members, they were able to walk out through the secured passage on their own.

Initially unaware that the rescue would be so late, the two had eaten 30 packets of coffee mix over three days as a meal substitute and survived by drinking dripping water thereafter.

On the 5th, in front of the emergency room at Andong Hospital, Gyeongbuk, the son of Park (62), the foreman who was trapped and rescued in the collapsed mine accident at the Bongsan Zinc Mine in Bonghwa County, is showing the work clothes Park was wearing at the time of entrapment. Photo by Yonhap News

The safely rescued individuals were admitted together to a two-person general ward at Andong Hospital and received nutritional treatment. Dr. Bang said, "(When they) first arrived, their body temperature had dropped, and they complained of muscle pain all over their bodies," adding, "There was mild muscle damage, but they appear to be recovering." He also added, "In my opinion, if the rescue had been delayed by 3 to 4 more days, it would have been difficult for them to survive."

The hospital plans to monitor their health through necessary examinations and treatments. Meals will start with small amounts of porridge. Dr. Bang said, "If a large amount is consumed at once after a long fasting period, metabolic disorders can occur." He also stated, "Since they were not exposed to light for a long time, sudden exposure to sunlight can damage the retina or cornea, so we plan to help them gradually regain their vision over three days."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.