India rejoices Chile miners? rescue: PM
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday said India rejoiced the ?safe? rescue of 33 Chile miners.
In his letter to President of Chile Sebastain Pinera Echenique, Singh conveyed warm felicitations on the ?splendid and successful rescue? of the thirty three miners.
Prime Minister observed that India rejoiced with the people of Chile that the miners were free, safe and reunited with their dear and loved ones.
?India had watched with admiration the courage and fortitude displayed by the miners and their families throughout the long ordeal and the inspiring personal leadership of the President of Chile, over the last several weeks,? said an official statement issued on behalf of the PM.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has also lauded the ?bravery? of the Chilean miners.
In a statement, Ban said: ?We join with the people of Chile and the families of these heroic miners to celebrate this extraordinary triumph of human ingenuity and the strength of the human spirit.?
Ban hailed the miners for working together and for never giving up.
?I join with all who lent a hand in the rescue effort, all who hoped and prayed, in this moment of relief and happiness,? he said.
International Labour Organization (ILO) Director-General Juan Somavia, who is Chilean, said in a statement that he shares ?joy of millions of people all over the world at the return of these heroes from the depths of the earth.?
He pointed out that the incident was a result of inadequate safety measures, underscoring that ?employment in unsafe conditions is a human tragedy.?
Rescue operation for 33 Chile miners, trapped underground for 68 days, began on Wednesday at San Jose mine.
Since August 22, when a narrow bore hole broke through to their refuge and the miners stunned the world with a note, scrawled in red pen, disclosing their survival, their families have been exposed in ways they never imagined.
Miners had to describe their physical and mental health in minute detail with teams of doctors and psychologists.
In some cases, when both wives and lovers claimed the same man, everyone involved had to face the consequences.
Since shortly after the accident, the miners’ lifeline to the outside world has been a tube no wider than an orange, through which they have been able to talk with rescuers and family members by telephone.
They have received necessities such as medicine and food, besides personal items to pass the time, such as music.
Every day, some 6,300 people die from occupational injuries or diseases, amounting to 2.3 million deaths per year. In addition, there are more than 330 million accidents at work annually.