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Bodies of All Five Trapped Miners Recovered at Chile’s El Teniente Mine

Investigators are examining whether mining activity contributed to the 4.2-magnitude tremor that collapsed a tunnel on July 31

FILE - Aerial view of El Teniente copper mine, operated by Codelco, where a collapse killed one worker and trapped five others underground, leading to a suspension of operations in Rancagua Chile, Aug. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix, file)
Workers walk at the entrance of El Teniente copper mine, operated by Codelco in Chile, where a collapse killed one worker and trapped five others underground, leading to a suspension of operations in Rancagua Chile, Friday, Aug. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
A person lights a candle during a vigil in front of El Teniente copper mine, operated by Codelco, where a cave-in killed one worker and trapped five others underground, halting operations in Rancagua, Chile, Saturday, Aug. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
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Overview

  • Officials identified the fifth trapped miner as Moises Pavez and confirmed his body was recovered on Sunday
  • The Andesita section of El Teniente collapsed after a 4.2-magnitude quake, initially killing one worker and injuring nine others
  • Codelco halted extraction in the affected area and evacuated 3,000 personnel to safe zones following the collapse
  • Rescue teams used GPS to locate the miners and drilled through dozens of meters of rock, clearing about 24 meters of tunnel by Sunday
  • Prosecutors and mine engineers have launched investigations into possible safety lapses and whether mining operations triggered the seismic event