South Korean miners trapped underground for nine days survive on instant coffee

Two miners in South Korea managed to survive underground for nine days before being rescued, having lived on instant coffee.

The unnamed men, aged 62 and 56, were stranded nearly 200 metres underground after part of a zinc mine in Bonghwa, North Gyeongsang Province, collapsed on Wednesday 26 October following a landslide.

Citing rescuers, local outlet Yonhap News reported that the pair pitched a tent inside the mine to keep themselves warm, surviving on instant, sweetened coffee powder.

Authorities also said the men were able to drink water that had fallen from the ceiling of the mine.

The rescue operation began on Thursday (3 November) with emergency workers drilling a hole so that they could insert a small camera inside to try and track down the location of the miners – who were found sitting in a chamber where a number of mine shafts come together, huddled shoulder-to-shoulder in an effort to stay warm.

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They were eventually rescued more than nine days later on 4 November – both being able to walk out of the mine before being taken to a local hospital.

The miners are said to be in a stable condition, with doctors saying they should make a full recovery.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol described the rescue as ‘truly miraculous’, saying on Facebook: "Thank you and thank you again for coming back safely from the crossroads of life and death.”

The mine’s collapse came just days before 156 people died in a devastating crush in South Korea’s capital Seoul.

Tens of thousands of people had descended on the streets of the popular party district of Itaewon on Saturday 29 October as it marked the first Halloween weekend since Covid restrictions had lifted in the country.

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The night descended into chaos when crowds began to grow, with photos and footage shared on social media showing hundreds of partygoers – many in their teens and 20s – crammed into a narrow alley.

President Yoon Suk-yeol later declared a period of mourning to run until midnight on 5 November.

He said: "A tragedy that should not have happened occurred in the middle of Seoul last night on Halloween.

"I pray for those who died in an unexpected accident and hope that the injured will recover quickly."

Confirming an investigation into the disaster is underway, he also said measures will be executed to ensure incidents like this never happen again.

"We will have relevant ministries such as the Ministry of the Interior and Safety conduct emergency inspections not only for Halloween events but also for local festivals and thoroughly manage them so they are conducted in an orderly and safe manner," he added.