Three workers from Hy-Tech Drilling have been safely rescued from the Red Chris mine in British Columbia, Canada, after a fall of ground incident left them trapped underground for more than 60 hours.

On 25 July, Kevin Coumbs, Darien Maduke and Jesse Chubaty were brought to the surface unharmed.

The incident occurred on 22 July at the non-producing project within the Red Chris mine.

The three workers were more than 500m beyond the affected zone and were asked to relocate to a designated refuge station before a subsequent fall blocked the access way.

Despite the second fall restricting communication, the workers safely reached the refuge chamber equipped with food, water and ventilation.

The workers were sheltering in a MineARC refuge chamber, designed to support 16 people, with additional chambers available if needed.

Specialised drones were deployed to assess the underground conditions.

On 24 July, a specialised line-of-sight scoop cleared the debris.

The Emergency Response Team, equipped with an engineered Falling Object Protective System, advanced across the impacted zone and reached the refuge chamber where the three miners were found in stable condition.

Newmont said in a statement: “We are relieved to share that all three individuals are safe, and in good health and spirits. They had consistent access to food, water and ventilation whilst they remained in place in a refuge chamber underground over the last two days.

“They are now being supported by medical and wellness teams. Their families have been notified.” 

Production at Red Chris had been paused since the incident to concentrate on the rescue efforts.