Nine miners rescued after a week missing in Bolivia's Guanay

Nine cooperative miners went missing on July 16 while traveling to their concession in Guanay, La Paz Department, Bolivia. After a week without contact, they managed to place a mobile call on July 23, prompting an immediate response from the Antofagasta Fire Brigade. Commander Edgar Ortega led a rescue team that trekked roughly 70 kilometers through rugged, forested terrain to locate the men on July 25. The miners were found severely dehydrated and with multiple lacerations. They received first aid on site and were evacuated to a medical center for treatment and recovery.

The operation highlighted the challenges of navigating dense vegetation and difficult topography in remote mining areas and underscored the importance of rapid emergency coordination across borders, as the rescuers were dispatched from Antofagasta, Chile, to Bolivia.