Did the rescuers in Utah die because people are too stubborn to face the truth?

Question

Air samples taken in the mine when the rescue shaft was bored showed less than 12% oxygen. Far too low to sustain human life.
So, why then, did three other men die trying to "rescue" corpses?
Is it THAT important to have a body to bury? They're already buried!
Now three more people are dead and thier families devastated. Isn't that enough?

Answer 1

I'm inclined to agree. Suppose by some miracle, which won't happen, that they find three of those six men still alive. Again, it won't happen, and if they found any, it wouldn't be six. They've just lost three more trying to get to them. There is a difference between being optimistic and being ignorant. Those people, if by some stroke of luck, are still alive, they haven't had food or, more importantly WATER for over a week. Add to that the cold down there, the low oxygen content, and the fact that nothing has been heard, even though the men are trained to beat on the ceiling for all they are worth, all drives back to one point: they are most likely dead. We can be optimistic, but that shouldn't cause anyone to forgo caution. Hope is one thing. Recklessness is something else.

Answer 2

CNN has reported oxygen levels at or just above 16%, and this would certainly justify rescue efforts. Add to this the fact miners have indeed been rescued after two weeks or more after a collapse, and it becomes very clear why rescue efforts were attempted. Should they continue from this point onward? That question can only be answered by those who will take the risk. And contrary to another answer on this subject, these miners and thier families have NEVER "trusted that it was safe". This occupation has ALWAYS been one of the most dangerous in the world. The risks are well understood by the miners and thier families. The rescuers were all too aware of these risks, and are HEROES who risked thier lives trying to save others. To assume these men were going in to rescue "corpses" is an unbelievable insult to thier efforts. These miner/rescuers are like the firemen who run into burning buildings while everyone else is running out. Thank God we still have REAL MEN in this country who are willing to put the lives of others above thier own. May the memory of these mens sacrifice be not soon forgotten.

Answer 3

Oh my God, DramaMartini, if your period is late do you blame Bush?

Mines have been unsafe for years and years and they have been run by slipshod, unscrupulous owners right from the get go. Read up on your history on mines lady. It's not pretty. I had relatives who worked in the PA coal mines. Not everything is the fault of Bush.

I believe that they kept looking for these people just because of that small glimmer of hope that someone would still be alive no matter what the odds are. Miracles do happen. It's a tragedy that these other 3 people died but if you think about it, they too, knew the risks they were taking and still took them in the hopes that someone was still alive down there. I'm sure they would want this done if it was them down there.

I do agree that it's crazy to retrieve bodies. I would close the mine and let that be their grave and monument. However, that won't happen because it is a coal mine and an alternative fuel source to oil.

Answer 4

My guess is, the authorities don't want to be responsible "just in case" somebody might happen to still be alive down there, if they don't send any rescuers down to look into it. But I absolutely agree with you, this is a tragic waste of human life on top of an existing tragedy. People knew enough to recall the rescue divers in Minnesota once it became obvious that no other survivors could possibly have remained in the water, why continue to go into a cave with fatally low levels of oxygen?

Answer 5

Finally someone i can agree with on this!
There is no way those guys are alive now.
If they must have the bodies - change things from a rescue to a recovery. With a recovery they can go about things in a much slower and safe manner to retrieve the bodies. If it is just too damn dangerous and there is a risk of anyone else dying throw up a memorial on top of the mine and consider it those guys graves.

Answer 6

Some people have jobs that form bonds that are inseparable. In police work it is the 'thin blue line'. I totally understand how bad the miners want to rescue their friends, As I would do the same. To anyone who is not affiliated with the job, it seems ridiculous.

Answer 7

Miners are members of a very special family. When one man is underground, they all are. I'm sure that every person in the recovery effort is willing to give their life to save a comrade. This is a commitment that people with limited intelligence can not understand.

That aside, only a fool would say the effort to save these men is frivolous. Even if in fact it is. You are an insenstive and ignorant poster.

Answer 8

Yoda, I totally agree with you! Did you know that the guy responsible for the safety on that mine is Bush appointed? It's Katrina all over again. Remember "Heck of a job Brownie"? I'm so damn mad about this!!!! When will it be enough to get that maniac out of the white house? My heart is broken for those families. Those people trusted that it was safe. There were 12 miners who refused to go in there any more because they knew it wasn't safe.
Those six can't possibly be alive after 11 days without food, water and air. I would never ask someone to risk their own life just to rescue someone who isn't even there anymore.
Thanks for the question. It really makes one stop and think.

Answer 9

Enough? It's way too much. It's one thing to die trying to SAVE someone's life. To die trying to save someone who has about a 2% chance of being alive is just insane.

Answer 10

Good luck with your sensitivity training. I see it hasn't kicked in yet.

Hopefully you're never in a position to need to be rescued.