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U.S. Navy Joins in Effort to Rescue Nine Trapped Miners

Aired July 26, 2002 - 13:06   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. Navy has joined the effort to rescue nine miners now trapped in that flooded shaft in Somerset County, Pennsylvania that we've been telling you about. The effort suffered a setback today when a giant drill bit broke while boring a hole toward the mine.

CNN's Brian Palmer is standing by with the latest from the scene of the effort. Brian, I understand they found that bit, right?

BRIAN PALMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You are absolutely right, Kyra, the bit has been recovered, and according to the head of the Department of Environmental Protection the drilling has recommenced. They were at about 100 feet. They have about 150 left to go. They are plowing through -- through the earth, through rock, trying to get to the miners, who are in this -- they believe are in this pocket, 250 feet below the surface of the Earth.

As you mentioned, there are Navy personnel on site here, specialist in underwater medicine, who will hopefully get the chance to deal with decompression issues once these miners are rescued and recovered. That is still not a definite proposition yet, but that's exactly what they are aiming to do.

PHILLIPS: Well, Brian, they seem to be talking very positively. They are talking about the big need to decompress these individuals. They don't want these dangerous air bubbles to get in their bloodstream, so they're making a big effort to make rescue here. So it sounds like they're being positive that these men are still alive.

PALMER: Well, what they're -- again, Kyra, they are -- what they're doing, is they're marshaling all of their resources. I don't think there's any way for them to know whether or not, but they're maintaining that optimism, and they're make sure they have all resources at their disposal if and when these folks get to ground level. I think they just want to have everything in place -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Understandably.

Brian Palmer, thank you.

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