Copiapo, Chile (CNN) — The first of the 33 miners trapped underground for more than two months could be hoisted to safety as early as Wednesday, Chilean Mining Minister Laurence Golborne said Saturday. He spoke hours after anxious family members and exhausted rescue workers reveled in joyful relief after a drill pierced the roof of an underground mine in Chile where the men have been trapped since August 5. Sixty-five days after the mine’s collapse, officials announced the drill had reached the miners as sirens blasted through the site to signal the achievement. Family members ran downhill, cheering and carrying Chilean flags. What began as a “possible tragedy, with the help of God, is ending as a true blessing,” said Chilean President Sebastian Pinera. “The miners, their families, the rescue workers, the government and all the Chileans have shown unity, strength, of faith, of hope, that is recognized and admired by the whole world,” the president said. “This shows that when Chileans unite for great causes, regardless how grand or ambitious they may seem, we are always able to reach our goals and conquer the highest peaks.”
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