The Great Escape: Chile pulls out trapped miners

One by one, the miners trapped for 69 days in a dungeon 700m below that could have become their tomb got into a rescue capsule and made a smooth ascent to the surface on Wednesday, straight into the arms of loved ones, cheered by joyous Chileans and watched by a captivated world.

One by one, the miners trapped for 69 days in a dungeon 700m below that could have become their tomb got into a rescue capsule and made a smooth ascent to the surface on Wednesday, straight into the arms of loved ones, cheered by joyous Chileans and watched by a captivated world.

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The anxiety that had accompanied the final days of preparation broke at 12:11 a.m. (local time), when the stoutest of the 33 men, Florencio Avalos, emerged from the missile-like chamber, smiling broadly, after his half-mile journey to fresh air. By early afternoon, 20 men had been pulled up.

The effort was free of any significant problems, and on track to finish before sunrise Thursday.