Tuesday, August 09, 2022

Two miners trapped in Dominican Republic rescued with help from Canada


OTTAWA — Defence Minister Anita Anand says two miners who were trapped in an underground mine for 10 days in the Dominican Republic have been rescued with the help of Canada.



In a tweet on Tuesday, Anand said the Royal Canadian Air Force transported mining equipment to Santo Domingo following a request for assistance from the Dominican government.

Two miners with the Dominican Mining Corporation, known as Cormidom, had been trapped since July 31 in an underground mine.


According to a news release from the Dominican Republic Embassy on Saturday, Canada was expected to send over a mining excavation system made up of machines, tools and various rescue technologies.

The statement says the equipment was provided by Machines Roger International, a mining company based in Val-d'Or, Que.


Anand thanked the Royal Canadian Air Force personnel involved in the mission who arrived in the Dominican Republic on Sunday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 9, 2022.

Two miners rescued in Dominican Republic after 10 days underground


Issued on: 09/08/2022 -
















Canada sent a military plane loaded with excavation equipment and other technology to help the rescue effort 
Erika SANTELICES afp/AFP


Santo Domingo (AFP) – Two miners were rescued in the Dominican Republic Tuesday, seemingly unharmed, after 10 days trapped underground and a massive operation, with support from Canada, to free them.

The miners were finally reached on Tuesday morning through a newly-dug rescue tunnel, a whole 10 days after they got caught underground after a rockslide, the Dominican Mining Corporation (CORMIDOM) said in a statement.

The pair, Dominican Gregores Mendez and Colombian Carlos Yepez had been trapped since July 31 at the Cerro de Maimon copper and zinc mine some 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of Santa Domingo.

More than 110 mining and other experts participated in the rescue effort, and a Canadian military plane arrived on Sunday with 26 tons of excavation equipment and other technology to help.

In a video distributed by the Dominican presidency on Tuesday, Mendez and Yepez are shown lying on stretchers, smiling as they greet President Luis Abinader even as medical personnel are checking their vital signs.

Yepez tells the camera that conditions underground were "good," with adequate ventilation, water and food.

"We slept comfortably, so to speak, so that made our stay not so bad," he said.

Abinader told the men he was "very happy" they were back safe.

The rescue came as efforts continued in Mexico to reach 10 workers trapped in a flooded mine nearly a week ago.

© 2022 AFP

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