Tunnel reaches miners, rescue still a day away

Rescue workers emerge from the mine. Ian Waldie / Getty Images

Rescuers have broken through to two Australian miners trapped a kilometre underground for 10 days, but they are unlikely to be free before the weekend.

A tunnelling machine that grinds through rock and is much safer than blasting or drilling was used to dig 16m through rock to reach Brant Webb, 34, and Todd Russell, 37.

A 20cm diameter pilot hole has been made but must now be widened to one metre. The men, trapped after a cave-in in a gold mine in the small town of Beaconsfield, Tasmania, were found on Sunday huddled in a small metal cage.

Mine manager Matthew Gill said that work to enlarge the hole was unlikely to start until late last night because it would take most of the day to fit the larger blade to the drill.

"We'll survey that hole to make sure we know exactly where it is, because accuracy is critical," Mr Gill said.

He warned it was unlikely the men would be freed today.

Both miners have reportedly requested they be allowed to walk out of the mine, telling rescuers they do not want to be taken on stretchers.

An underground co-worker said the men wanted to walk out of the mine cage on to the surface, according to the Age newspaper in Melbourne.

"It's a pride thing," he said. "They've been told how much media's been going on up here."

Food and fresh water have been delivered to the men through a 10cm plastic pipe, with fresh clothes, a digital camera, magazines and an iPod player.

They have used the camera to give the rescuers photographs of the area they are in.

Mr Gill said that the men had slept through the end of the drilling of the pilot hole, a good sign for rescuers who are concerned the drilling vibration could trigger further rockfalls.

Australian Workers Union national secretary Bill Shorten told the Nine Network that Mr Webb and Mr Russell would be in contact with their rescuers during the digging.

"The trapped miners have the capacity to say, 'Hey this is not working, this is looking a bit too rocky'."

Mr Shorten said vibration from the raise borer was being kept to a minimum and the trapped men were in good health.

"They've had egg sandwiches and yoghurt, some small solids, which is obviously a good development."

A third miner, Larry Knight, died when an earth tremor dislodged rock on April 25. His family have delayed the funeral until the trapped men can bid farewell to their mate.

Miners last night switched to a 1.7- tonne drill head on the powerful raise borer machine, which will chew through rock to create a 1m-diameter tunnel that will be their escape route.

The tunnel will be dug to just below the men, with the final crust of rock likely to be broken with hand equipment such as jackhammers.

Asked if the men would be out today, Mr Gill said it was "unlikely", given the need for careful progress.

He said breaking into the cavity where the men are huddled would be the most difficult part of the rescue.

But rescuers had a plan and "about five contingencies", and would stabilise the rescue tunnel with corrugated iron pipe if necessary.

The final stages of the rescue will be extremely delicate, with the vibration of the drill causing shaking of the rock, dirt and dust.

The men have had a video camera trained on them around the clock.

The camera was passed to them through their PVC supply pipe and hooked to a TV screen for underground medical staff to monitor.

"They feel like they are on Big Brother," said a shift worker.

Mine management yesterday said the men had eaten some yoghurt, requested chicken sandwiches for dinner and had their best sleep yet - five hours - after being given an expandable camping mattress.

Eleven miners have been killed in accidents in Australia in the past year and 229 from 1990 to 2000.

- STAFF REPORTER, AGENCIES