Trapped Chile miners get food supplies

Rescue workers in Chile say they have sent the first supplies of water and food to 33 miners who have been trapped underground for 17 days. Capsules containing the supplies were sent down a tube, which is the miners' only lifeline. Rescuers made contact with the miners on Sunday after lowering a probe some 700m (2,300ft) beneath the surface. The miners have not been told it may take up to four months to get them out, the head of the rescue operation said. Andres Sougarret said it could take that long to drill a new shaft wide enough to pull the men to safety. A specialized drill is on its way to the San Jose copper and gold mine, near the city of Copiapo, for the task. If more specialized equipment was sent from outside Chile, the operation would still take at least two months, Mining Minister Laurence Golborne said. Engineers have also opened lines of communication to talk to the men.