ABSTRACT
For more than a month, Chile and the world held their collective breath as they watched, listened, or read about the plight and fate of 33 Chileans miners trapped underground following the 2010 San José mine collapse on August 5, 2010. Reluctant to be engaged during the first few days after the collapse, the Chilean government took charge when the owners of the mine stated they did not have the resources to mount a rescue. Once engaged, the Chilean government exerted every effort to rescue the miners by inserting its resources and seeking assistance from foreign governments, institutions and mine experts. The rescue effort riveted the world. On October 13, 2010, when the last of the 33 miners emerged from the earth, the world took a collective sigh of relief. The rescue inspired Chileans and people worldwide. The successful rescue was viewed as a milestone in international cooperation. The Chilean government was praised for its handling of the crisis and rescue efforts. Considering the worldwide acclaim the Chilean government garnered from its handling of the mining collapse and search and rescue effort, this chapter is aimed at identifying the objectives, determining the strategies, and also tactics the administration employed to manage the crisis. The study found that the Chilean government did not employ an established crisis communication management procedure, but the willingness of the government to remain transparent and seek international assistance accounted for the success of the rescue effort.
