Chilean Miners Get Lights, Cigarettes

The 33 miners who have been trapped in a mine in Copiapó, Chile, for more than a month have not only received a power line for them to install electric lights, they’ve also been granted their longstanding request for cigarettes. Smokes had been one of the first things they asked for, but officials had been sending them gum and nicotine patches instead. Now, thanks to the installment of a new compressor, the mine’s ventilation system can handle the smoke. The miners will be receiving two packs a day to be divided among them, according to the Chilean health minister. The installation of lights, meanwhile, should improve the miners’ sleeping patterns and will help them adjust to daylight once they reach the surface. Rescuers are currently using three drilling methods—dubbed Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C—to reach miners, who have been trapped since August 5. However, officials estimate it could take as long as November to free them.