TERRACE, B.C. – In a moment of profound relief for their families and the entire Northwest community, the three drillers trapped deep underground at the Red Chris Mine since Tuesday have been brought safely to the surface.
Kevin Coumbs, Darien Maduke, and Jesse Chubaty, all employees of Hy-Tech Drilling, emerged from the mine at approximately 10:40 p.m. Thursday night. A statement from the mine’s emergency response team confirmed all three men are in good health and spirits and have been reunited with their families after being assessed by medical and wellness teams.
The successful rescue marks the end of a tense 60-hour ordeal that began Tuesday evening when two successive ground-falls trapped the men more than 500 metres underground. Their survival is being credited to their strict adherence to safety protocols, which saw them immediately move to a fortified refuge chamber equipped with food, water, and fresh air after the initial collapse.
The rescue was a meticulously planned operation that drew on expertise from across the region. The final push began Thursday evening when a specialized, remote-controlled scoop, brought in from the nearby Brucejack mine, successfully finished clearing the fallen debris from the access tunnel around 8:30 p.m.
With the area stabilized, the Emergency Response Team advanced through the impacted zone using equipment fitted with an engineered Falling Object Protective System (FOPS). Upon reaching the refuge chamber, they found the three men in stable condition and escorted them back to the surface.
In a statement, the rescue command praised the collaboration between teams at the Red Chris and Brucejack operations. “Kevin, Darien, and Jesse demonstrated the utmost dedication to our safety procedures, adhering to protocols for more than 60 hours underground,” the statement read. “This outcome is the result of tireless collaboration, technical expertise, and above all, safety and care.”
Officials have stated that a comprehensive investigation into the ground-fall incident will be conducted, with a promise to share the lessons learned across the mining industry.
For now, the focus is on the well-being of the three rescued workers as they recover from their experience, a successful conclusion to a story that had the entire North holding its breath.
