Live updates: All 33 Chilean miners rescued

After being trapped more than 2,000 feet under the earth, the 33 miners in Chile have been rescued from the mine.

The 33 miners were underground for 69 days. Each man was raised through a narrow hole in a small metal container as the world watched and the nation of Chile relished in a groundswell of patriotic pride.

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera has been at the rescue site, cheering and hugging the miners as they surface. A field hospital has been set up nearby and therapists have been on hand to help the miners adjust to reentering life above ground.

"We always knew that we would be rescued," Mario Sepulveda, the second miner rescued, said shortly after he emerged. "We never lost faith."

The men were trapped underground since surviving the Aug. 5 mine collapse.

• Watch live coverage of the rescue here.
• Read the story here.
• For a photo gallery of rescue images, click here.
• For a larger view of the timeline go here.

Updated, 11:32 p.m.

The last rescue worker is on the ground, and the rescue operation is complete.

Updated, 10:45 p.m.
Four rescue workers are back above ground; two are still below.

Read what Chilean President told Luis Urzua, the last man up:

"You have been relieved, coming out last like a good captain. ... You have no idea how all Chileans shared with you your anguish, your hope, and your joy. You are not the same, and the country is not the same after this."

Then he told Urzua to go hug his wife and daughter.

Updated, 9:10 p.m.

We'll be concluding our up-to-the-minute postings now, but we'll be back later with news of the rescue workers' ascent. Thank you for reading along with us!

Updated, 9:00 p.m.

The camp of rescue workers, Luis Urzua, and Sebastian Pinera break into the national anthem of Chile. Only after the song finishes is Urzua able to greet his family members.

Diane Sawyer spoke to Sebastian Pinera earlier today. "What started as a tragedy is ending as a real blessing," Pinera said. He told the ABC news anchor that Chile's experience could provide valuable lessons on disaster response: "In our case, we didn't waste a second. From the very first moment, we decided to take full responsibility for the rescue effort."

Updated, 8:50 p.m.

Wow.

Luis Urzua, the final miner to leave the underground cavern he has called home for 69 days, has exited the rescue shaft.

Urzua, 54, was the shift foreman. After the collapse, he took on a larger leadership role, rationing food immediately after the mine collapsed and using his topographical skills to chart their underground world. He is a former football coach.

The Chilean president greeted him with "que buen jefe" -- what a good boss.

Updated, 8:45 p.m.

The rescue workers are cheering and applauding and singing as the final rescue shaft rises to the surface.

Updated, 8:35 p.m.

Luis Alberto Urzua is the last of the 33 miners to be rescued. (Diario Atacama/AP)

The final miner has boarded the "Fénix 2," the rescue elevator named for the mythical Phoenix, which rises from the ashes.

It is Luis Urzua, the foreman. A mine official told the Daily Mail, "Just like in boats, the captain will be the last man to leave."

"He is very protective of his people and obviously loves them," said Robinson Marquez, who once worked with Urzua in a nearby mine, Punta del Cobre. "He is going to make sure that all of his people are out" before he leaves himself, Marquez said.

Read more about him here.

Updated, 8:26 p.m.

Ariel Ticona greeted his wife as he exits the rescue shaft. He has not yet met his daughter, Esperanza, who was born on 14 September. Ticona held up a broken phone. It is the phone the miners used to communicate with the rescue team and the miners' families. He thanked everyone and said the phone is "muy sencillio" -- very simple.

Updated, 8:10 p.m.

Along with the Chilean president, the other constant presence at the mine's entrance has been Laurence Golborne, the Chilean Mining Minister. With an approval rating at around 87 percent, Golborne has effectively become the "mayor of Camp Hope," the Guardian reports. Golborne has also been using Twitter where 20 minutes ago, he sent out the message "Only three left! But let us not forget the six rescuers. At this rate, we'll finish today."

Updated, 8:00 p.m.

Pedro Cortez has become the 31st miner to reach the Earth's surface. The childhood friend of rescued miner Carlos Bugueno, Cortez was greeted by a young girl who let Chilean flag balloons into the air as she hugged him.

Cortez will be returning to a home where his neighborhood has "stockpiled 'enormous quantities of beer, wine and pisco [grape liquor],'" the BBC reports.

A young musician plays a song for TV journalists with the rescue area in the background at San Jose mine in Copiapo. (David Mercado/Reuters)

Updated, 7:41 p.m.

As the camp empties of the crowd, with many of the families moving to the hospital and the nearby town Copiapó, the same chant rings out as each miner ascends the shaft: "Chi, chi, chi, Le, le le, Los Mineros de Chile!" Translated, it means "The Miners of Chile!"

Updated, 7:36 p.m.

Raul Bustos, the "luckiest unlucky man alive," according to his wife Carola Narvaez, has just come up from the mine. His family survived Chile's big earthquake six months ago, but the temblor destroyed the shipyard where he worked. It forced him to take a job four months ago in the copper and gold mine. Read his full story here.

Updated, 7:25 p.m.

As the 30th miner boards the rescue capsule, relive the memory of "Baby Jessica" and her dramatic rescue here. It took place almost exactly 23 years ago, on October 16, 1987.

Updated, 7:15 p.m.

Night has fallen over the camp and Juan Aguilar, 49, has just left the rescue elevator. He worked as a mine supervisor. Aguilar's wife Cristy Coronado camped above the mine while he was trapped.

Updated, 7:05 p.m.

The Chilean president tells the BBC's Tim Wilcox that the government must accept blame for the mine collapse and be willing to pay for the millions of dollars spent on the rescue operation.

Updated, 6:44 p.m.

Richard Villarroel, 27, is the 28th miner to be rescued from the underground cavern. Villarroel's girlfriend is about to give birth to his son. The BBC reports he's likely being greeted by his little sister Antonia who is grinning and holding back tears at the side of the mine.

Residents in Santiago cheer while watching rescue operations for the 33 miners trapped in the San Jose mine in Copiapo. (Cristobal Saavedra/Reuters)

Updated, 6:29 p.m.

At the Chilean embassy in Washington, D.C. a crowd of about a hundred people gathered last night. Well wishers milled about as passing drivers shouted and honked in support. Read Mary Pat Flaherty's full story here.

Updated, 6:14 p.m.

Frankin Lobos Ramirez, 53, has left the shaft and greeted a weeping family member. The lowering and raising of the rescue shaft has speeded up dramatically, taking about nine minutes to surface.

Lobos is a former soccer player known as el Mortero Magico, or the Magic Mortar. He drove a taxi before taking a job at the mine because the pay was better.

Updated, 6:00 p.m.

An estimated 1 billion people watched the first rescue last night at 11:12 p.m., according to Bloomberg News. CNN came out as the leader as 3.998 million viewers tuned in to get the breaking news, Yahoo! News reported.

Updated, 5:55 p.m.

Claudio Acuña greeted his wife girlfriend Fabiola Araya and their young daughter as he came out of the mine. Acuna celebrated his birthday in the mine on 9 September. Acuña reportedly proposed to his longtime partner.

Updated, 5:30 p.m.

Rescued miner Carlos Barrios waves from a wheelchair at Copiapo hospital. (Carlos Vera/Reuters)

The BBC has an update on the miner with pneumonia: "The BBC's Rajesh Mirchandani in Copiapo says he is believed to be Mario Gomez but he is not thought to be seriously ill. Seventeen of the miners have now arrived at Copiapó hospital. Several have severe dental problems and some have eye problems. He says that none of the miners have slept since their return to the surface and that they have had their first proper meal, of rice, chicken and yoghurt."

Updated, 5:25 p.m.

Renán Ávalos steps out of the rescue shaft to cheers from his family. The 29-year-old hugged his wife Brunela Oliva until the crowd demanded he kiss her. He obliged.

Updated, 5:19 p.m.

Renán Ávalos, the brother of the first miner to be rescued, Florencio Ávalos, is now in the rescue shaft. He just shouted up the hole "Yo voy," which means "I'm going."

Updated, 5:07 p.m.

President Barack Obama took a moment to talk about "the unity and resolve of the Chilean people who have inspired the world."

Updated, 5:02 p.m.

One of the miners has acute pneumonia, BBC reports: "Chile's health minister Jaime Manalich has revealed that one of the miners is suffering from acute pneumonia. The miner, who is not being identified, has a weak lung and may have to stay longer in hospital."

Updated, 4:56 p.m.

José Henríquez, the 24th miner, has just stepped from the rescue shaft and was greeted by Chilean president Sebastian Piñera. Gonzalez is a drill operator and evangelical preacher. He led prayers in the collapsed mine, and has been married for 33 years.

Taking a starring role in the rescue effort, Piñera has been a constant presence at the rescue site. His huge smile and his tweeting the event has helped shoot his approval ratings from 46 percent to 57 percent in Chile. He's also made this a world event by allowing a "slick blanket coverage of every possible angle in the rescue," the Telegraph writes.

Updated, 4:36 p.m.

Carlos Bugueño, 27, has just stepped out of the rescue shaft. Bugueño is one of the "carrier pigeon handlers." CNN explains that the 2.5-meter long metal cylinders dropped down the down the boreholes taking food, water, clothes and letters to the miners were dubbed "carrier pigeons," .

Each shift had three or four men assigned to receive the "carrier pigeons." They had about five minutes to unload the cylinders and then store the contents.

Updated 4:08 p.m.

Samuel Avalos, 43, has just been rescued. Avalos is a father-of-three who had worked in the mine for five months. While trapped underground, he was tasked with checking air quality. He'll be bringing those air quality readings with him above ground, for further review. His brother-in-law was involved in the rescue.

Updated 3:30 p.m.

Yohnni Barrios, 50, has been rescued, but his wife is not there to greet the miner. ABC News reports his wife skipped the rescue after finding out about his mistress, Susana Valenzuela, whom he had been seeing on the sly for years.

While underground, he was known as "the doctor" because he has first aid skills from helping his diabetic mother.

The Telegraph reports that at least five wives have come face to face with their husbands' mistresses and that authorities at Camp Hope have been struggling to deal with the rush of women fighting to greet the men first.

Updated, 3:20 p.m.

Pablo Rojas wears Oakley sunglasses to protect his eyes after being brought to the surface (Rodrigo Arangua /AFP/Getty Images)

Every miner that has come out of the San Jose mine in Chile was seen in nifty matching sunglasses to help block their eyes from the harsh sun after being in the dark for 69 days. The matching glasses were no coincidental fashion planning. California-based Oakley sunglasses company sent to Chile 33 pairs, each valued at $450, for the miners to wear during their rescue. Medics were worried about retina damage from seeing sunlight after being so long without it.

Oakley says the glasses offer 100 percent protection from ultraviolet light. They're also pretty good for the company's bottom line; CNBC reports that Oakley will get around $41 million worth of publicity from their charitable donation.

Updated, 3:00 p.m.

Dario Segovia, 48, has exited the mine. The drill operator is the son of a miner, and his father was once trapped in a mine for a week. During his time underground, his sister Maria led prayers at Camp Hope.

Twenty-seven of the 33 workers have filed a $10 million negligence lawsuit against the mine's owners. A Chilean mining executive has written $10,000 checks to each of the 33 miners. Leonardo Farkas, a well-known philanthropist, has set up funds for the miners and their families to collect donations. The money is more than some of the miners earn in a year.

Updated, 2:45 p.m.

For the men who have risen, the question now changes to how will they heal? Dr. Michael Duncan, chief medical officer and lead of the NASA team that went to Chile, talked to Post readers this morning about the health of the miners.

He wrote: "The Chileans felt that NASA, because of its experience in long duration space flight might have something to offer with regards to medical care and behavioral health support. And for NASA it was a way of bringing our knowledge of space flight back down to the ground to help the people on Earth."

Read his thoughts on the miners here.

Updated, 2:40 p.m.

Pablo Rojas, the cousin (or brother, there are conflicting reports) of the just rescued Esteban Rojas, has exited the mine. He had worked in the mine for less than six months when the accident happened.

The world has been watching as the 33 men make their way slowly out of their underground prison. The rescue television makes for gripping television.

Updated, 2:30 p.m.

The Post's On Leadership blog notes the role shift leader Luis Urzua played underground. Urzua chose to be the last to exit the mine.

"Many people who hold a manager's title are technically skilled, or may be more senior than others, or played all the right political games to achieve their position, but that hardly means they can rally a team of hungry, anxious men fighting for their lives in a cramped, dark, hot space half a mile below the earth. Urzua appears to have taken full responsibility amid the crisis, offering his colleagues order, structure and emotional support at a time when many would be fearing for their lives."

Read the whole piece here.

Updated, 2:00 p.m.

Esteban Rojas, the 18th miner has been rescued. According to the Telegraph, Esteban Rojas, 44, told his partner Jessica Ganiez he will marry her in a church as soon as he gets out of the mine

The New York Times notes that a lot of people want to get in on the Chilean mine glory. Graceland has invited Edison Peña, a miner who was rescued about 4 hours ago to visit Elvis Presely's home.

Elvis.com posted, "Graceland would like to welcome home Edison Peña, and along with the Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau, has extended a special invitation for him and a loved one to visit Elvis' home in Memphis. We are so glad he is safe, and wish the very best for the other miners still awaiting their rescue."

Updated, 1:12 p.m.

Currently waiting for number 18. In the meantime, check out this video of the Pope following the miners' rescue:

Updated, 12:39 p.m.

The 17th miner, Omar Reygadas, a bulldozer operator, has been rescued. He's a grandfather of 14. And his children have been keeping a diary of their life above ground as they waited.

Updated, 12:32 p.m.

As the 17th miner's coming up the rescue shaft, the Post's Joel Achenbach wonders just what one does after being rescued from a mine. And the Telegraph has a great story about miner mistresses coming out of the woodwork and clashing with miner wives over compensation.

Updated, 11:53 a.m.

The count's at 16 now. Check out the Post's live video feed of the rescue.

Updated, 11:14 a.m.

Fourteen miners are up so far. And the pace of their rescues seems to be picking up. Xinhuanet has a great explainer graphic showing just how it works.

Updated, 10:25 a.m.

Thirteen miners have been rescued so far. Here's a link to the full story. Here are photos of the miners.

Chilean president Sebastian Piñera tweeted last night at the rescue site:
"What emotion! What joy! How proud to be Chilean! And what gratitude to God!"