involving people, technology and medical expertise from around the world. [ applause ] down below it might have turned into lord of the flies chaos and instead became the 33-man democracy with miners organizing, choosing leaders, deciding on the honor of who would be the last to leave. while up above the race to save them was on and so was the countdown to rescue. in the hour ahead we ll take you inside that race, moment by moment. the challenges and setbacks. how they were overcome and the mechanical and human ballet that all made it possible, all the elements that led first to images of miners safe underground and then ultimately to the incredible sight of those men emerging one by one from weeks of darkness. we re going to start at the beginning with tom foreman. reporter: august 5th, 2:00 in the afternoon. 2,300 feet underground, a shaft collapses in the san jose copper and gold mine. 33 miners are somewhere behind the rubble.
dark, underground dungeon that may have easily become their tomb. 33 miracle men. they were alive when the first drill bit reached them 17 days after the mine in chile s desert caved in. from there on out, though, a remarkable human effort involving people, technology, and medical expertise from around the world. down below, what might have turned into lord of the flies chaos instead became the 33-men democracy with miners organizing, choosing leaders, deciding on the honor of who would be the last to leave. while up above the race to save them was on, and so was the countdown to rescue. in the hour ahead we ll take you inside that race, moment by moment, the challenges and setbacks, how they were overcome, the mechanical and human ballet that made it possible. all the elements that led first to images of miners safe underground and ultimately to the incredible sight of those
involving people, technology, and medical expertise from around the world. down below, what might have turned into lord of the flies chaos instead became the 33-men democracy with miners organizing, choosing leaders, deciding on the honor of who would be the last to leave. while up above the race to save them was on, and so was the countdown to rescue. in the hour ahead we ll take you inside that race, moment by moment, the challenges and setbacks, how they were overcome, the mechanical and human ballet that made it possible. all the elements that led first to images of miners safe underground and ultimately to the incredible sight of those men emerging one by one from weeks of darkness. we ll start at the beginning with tom foreman. reporter: august 5th, 2:00 in the afternoon. 2300 feet underground, a shaft collapses in the san jose copper and gold mine. 33 miners are somewhere behind
down below, what might have turned into lord of the flies chaos instead became the 33-men democracy with miners organizing, choosing leaders, deciding on the honor of who would be the last to leave. in the hour ahead we ll take you inside that race, moment by moment, the challenges and setbacks, how they were overcome, the mechanical and human ballet that made it possible. ultimately to the incredible sight of those men emerging one by one from weeks of darkness. we ll start at the beginning with tom foreman. reporter: august 5th, 2:00 in the afternoon. 2300 feet underground, a shaft collapses in the san jose copper and gold mine. 33 miners are somewhere behind the rubble. their condition, unknown. the chilean president promises every effort to rescue them, but
fl there on down below what might have turned into lord of the flies chaos, instead became a 33-man democracy, with miners organizing, choosing leaders, deciding on the honor of who would be the last to leave. up above, the race to save them was on and so was the countdown to rescue. in the hour ahead, we re going to take you inside that race, moment by moment, challenges and setbacks, how they were overcome, the mechanical and human ballet that made it all possible. all the elements that led first to miners safe underground and the incredible sight of those men emerging one by one from weeks of darkness. we re going to start at the beginning with tom foreman. reporter: august 5, 2:00 in the afternoon, 2,300 feet underground, a shaft collapses in the san jose copper and gold mine. 33 miners are somewhere behind the rubble, their condition unknown.