South Korea miners survive nine days underground on only coffee.

Two miners who survived on instant coffee powder for nine days while stranded in a South Korean zinc mine that had collapsed have been rescued.

The two guys, ages 62 and 56, are thought to have maintained warmth by creating a tent out of plastic and starting a fire.

According to reports, their condition is stable

On October 26 in Bonghwa, in the country's east, a portion of the zinc mine the two miners were working in collapsed, trapping them almost 200 meters (650 feet) beneath.

More than nine days after their plight began, they were ultimately saved on the night of November 4. Both were able to leave the mine on their own and were brought to the neighborhood hospital. According to their doctor, they ought to fully recover.

Their rescue was described by President Yoon Suk-yeol as "really miraculous".

He posted on Facebook, "Thank you and thank you again for coming back safely from the crossroads of life and death."

The miners, according to the authorities, ate instant coffee mix powder and drank water that fell from the roof to stay alive.

According to South Korea's Yonhap news agency, the rescue effort started on Thursday when emergency personnel bore a hole and put a small camera to try to find the miners.

In a large chamber where multiple mine shafts meet, they were eventually found sitting shoulder to shoulder to stay warm.

The niece of one of the survivors described how her uncle didn't recognise her when he came out, because he was wearing an eye-mask after nearly ten days in the dark.

She described his rescue as "surreal", according to AFP news agency.


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