Robotic Camera Searches For Utah Miners

"Long Shot" Technique Could Be Best Chance Left To Find Six Miners Missing Since Aug. 6

(CBS/AP)  Rescuers admit it's a long shot, but a robotic camera dropped deep inside a Utah mountain could be the best chance officials have of finding any sign of six men missing for 21 days in a caved-in coal mine.

The 8-inch robot was lowered more than 1,500 feet through a narrow hole to scope out the "survivable space" inside the mine Sunday, although mine executives, safety officials and technology experts estimate the chances of success at less than 50 percent.

"It's a long shot, and I repeat, it's a long shot. But we owe it to the families to do everything we can to locate their loved ones," said Jack Kuzar, a district manager for the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration.

The camera arrived Friday and was tested over the weekend before being lowered into the mine Sunday night. Images from the camera were expected sometime Monday.

The camera is similar to the one used to search within the wreckage of the World Trade Center in New York City after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. It is programmed to take images in the darkened cavern from about 50 feet away with the help of a 200-watt light, can travel 1,000 feet from the end of the test hole, and has some ability to move around the rubble.

Robin Murphy, director of the Institute for Safety Security Rescue Technology at the University of South Florida, said it was not clear if the 8-inch camera would fit down the 8 5/8-inch hole and into the mine, much less make it past the loose rock and other debris in the borehole.

"There's mud, there's rocks, there's things that make it unfavorable," she said.

But the brother of one of the missing miners said families were hopeful.

"We've got a lot to learn from the camera and we're all hoping it will do a good job for us," Cesar Sanchez said.

The camera was being lowered into one of six bore holes drilled through the mountain since Aug. 6, when a thunderous mountain bump caused the ribs of the mine shaft to implode, leaving miners Kerry Allred, Don Erickson, Luis Hernandez, Carlos Payan, Brandon Phillips and Manuel Sanchez trapped inside. It's unclear if the men survived the blast.

Officials also began drilling a seventh hole Sunday, hoping to break into the mine's "kitchen," an area where miners are trained to find safety during a collapse. The area is about 1,800 feet below the surface, and while mine bosses would not estimate a timetable for completion, previous drilling efforts have taken up to two days.

"Everybody, you know, was kind of smiling a little bit about the seventh hole," Sanchez said. "It brings the hope back up. We needed that and we're going to keep going until we find these guys."

Families had expected officials to halt rescue efforts Sunday, after mine co-owner Bob Murray said earlier he would shutter the mine and entomb the men if the sixth hole found no sign of life.

That announcement followed a second collapse Aug. 16 that killed three people and wounded six who were digging horizontally through massive mounds of debris inside the mine.

Federal mining officials have said the instability of the mountain makes it too risky to resume underground digging or to drill a hole wide enough to send a manned rescue capsule into the mine, something families have called for.

Seismologists describe the mountain as crumbling in upon itself, bursting support pillars as it shifts in a phenomena known as mountain bumps.

MSHA officials have not specifically said they'll close the mine, but have grown increasingly pessimistic about the chances of finding the men alive or even recovering their bodies.

Bruce Hill, president and chief executive officer of UtahAmerican Energy, part owner in Crandall Canyon, said there was a possibility the mine company could continue to drill holes even after the completion of the seventh.

Murray had threatened to close his Utah operations after Gov. Jon Huntsman criticized the safety conditions and Murray's rescue efforts. As CBS Station KUTV correspondent Jennifer Stagg reports, Murray made good his threat by shutting down the Tower mine completely, laying off nearly 200 employees, while bringing in outside engineers to study its safety.

Murray said that he has given employees the option to work at his other mines in Illinois and Ohio. He has given the miners until noon Monday to make a decision.

"If they choose this, there will be no one laid off and no one will miss a paycheck," he said.

"I just got bumped out," Jarred Sims told CBS Station KUTV correspondent Jennifer Stagg. "He's in checkmate right now. He can shut down everything and it will be done."

[lucik50]

I believe this new Robotic Camera invention will now pave the way, with more improvements,to saving more miners'' lives now and aid in quicker rescues. Yes, we are moving to slow on developing these type of inventions. Loosing to many of our precious miners who go down in those deep dark mines to provide the rest of us with all our nice conveniences. Mine owners and Operators; Spare no money! Get these inventions going that will lead the rescuers to the trapped miners quickly. In the long run it will save you lots of money and the lives of our loved ones.

[wkvintus]

Posted by SgtRDS at 01:39 AM : Aug 28, 2007
Ya, that''s the truth!!

I hope the weather cooperates a little better, so they can get that robot down there.

I don''t know if the families are reading these posts, but Our prayers are with you, and I hope no matter what the outcome, that things get better, and people will maybe get their heads out of you know where and make things right for you and your fellow miners.

[sgtrds]

Posted by wkvintus at 12:11 AM : Aug 28, 2007


Cool..........

It sure would have been nice if more democrats had paid more attention when Bush was appointing people like Sticker to head MSHA and Brown to head FEMA before they screwed up, that''s true...

[wkvintus]

Just to clarify, I was talking about the playing politics the Democrats are playing now, trying to find any fault where ever they can, instead of trying to solve the problems. I said nothing about the MSHA, yes, I agree with you there.

I won''''t deny that Bush has messed this nation up far worse than others-it is true..He has...worse after 9/11.

That is the comment I was refering to.

[sgtrds]

And I think the Democrats should stop playing ''''politics'''' and get to the real deal, running this country, not just bashing Bush and stopping him from doing anything. I mean, get real people!!!

Posted by wkvintus at 10:18 PM : Aug 27, 2007

But this is not about playing politics and bashing Bush. When Bush came into power one of the very first things his administration did was to slash the budget for MSHA to the bone. Then he went around the Senate confirmation policy after they rejected him twice when the republicans still controlled the Senate and made a recess appointment of an unqualified man as head of MSHA, Richard Stickler, who also as a mine company executive had an open disdain for MSHA since they''d cited his company more then twice the national average. So A, slash the mine safety budget to the bone, plus B, put an unqualified crony in charge of mine safety, equals C, miners dying. This is not about politics. It is about life and death.

[wkvintus]

Ok, now a comment. These people, the miners, have been doing this probably all their lives, that''s why they work in the mines. As for the jobs, I agree, if the mine was found to be unsafe and shut down before the collapse, they would still be out the jobs. Myself, I think they were over mining, seeing that the whole mountain is collapsing, and think the other mines, including ones in Ohio and Illinois, should be investigated for the same reasons.

How did Bush mess up this country??????? I think we should start putting blame on the real guilty party, the terrorists. And I think the Democrats should stop playing ''politics'' and get to the real deal, running this country, not just bashing Bush and stopping him from doing anything. I mean, get real people!!!

[wkvintus]

Ok, I''ve got a question, why did Murray basically shut the one worker up when he was asked about ''mine safety''? Is he not the one responsible for the safety of the mine, and the workers? Why defend him so dilligently, when in the end, he is the one in control of the mine?
Ya, I agree it is time to let the miners go, if these last options don''t find anything, and I feel very sorry for the families of those six. But do we need more deaths on top of those already?

[susanhelit]

... and how much is it worth to spend to recover corpses? Are we really doing so well that this money couldn''t be spent to save the lives of a few hundred impoverished people, help some with rough lives to some education to let them get off welfare and get good jobs?


Sorry, but this is 6 dead bodies. Their families want them, want to know what happened, but that''s not always possible. Every day people vanish in this country, and die, and their families never know. Why so much money for these guys? While there was a real chance they were alive, that''s one thing, but to recover corpses?

[susanhelit]

Can''t say I blame Murray - he''s being accused of being a murderer, slammed for rumors that he didn''t start about the mine being reopened, accused of trying to cover up something by saying that the mine will not be reopened, used as a scapegoat by the governor who doesn''t want people to ask if State safety inspectors missed something, and used as a boogeyman by union recruiters trying to pretend like this couldn''t have happened at any mine - magical union cards holding up the walls or not.

Yeah, I think I''d want to leave Utah too. Sorry workers - I know you want the jobs, but if you want the jobs, you have to stand up a bit for your employer - tell us what is true, what you think, at the least. If he''s that unsafe, then it should be a blessing to be rid of the job (and why were you working there anyway???) - but if he''s not, silence is not right.

[michellem99-2009]

Safety in the workplace is a must..no matter what the job is..I won''t deny that Bush has messed this nation up far worse than others-it is true..He has...worse after 9/11.
For the families, I hope the bodies are found so the get a proper rest. Hell of a way to die. a living hell. Hope they did not suffer.Sorry I am trying to be as gentle as the families may be reading this. I am so sorry. I have been reading this since it happened..

[j-whitman]

Democrat victory ---- Gonzolas Resigns,,,,,, Now force Bush out & we can increase Mine Safety Laws & Fines & Penalties that Bush weakened.