A group of the Chilean miners rescued in an operation that transfixed the world a year ago returned to the San Jose mine Thursday for a solemn ceremony.
Chile's Former Mining Minister Laurence Golborne was among those who attended the service, together with engineers and several of the rescued workers. During the service, workers laid the first stone of a monument honoring the 33 miners.
The 69-day ordeal began on August 5, 2010 when the San Jose mine collapsed. The miners were rescued on October 13 when they were pulled one-by-one to the surface in a 22-hour operation.
Not all of the rescued workers were at the anniversary event. Despite the media attention the miners received, many of them are still living in poverty and without steady work.