How The Chilean Miners Were Saved

I am so glad that the 33 miners trapped for 69 days 2,000 feet under the Chilean desert have finally been freed from their hell on earth. Or hell under earth as the case may be.
But the real story is the determination of many people to get these rough and rugged men out from the deep copper and gold mine.
Start with the newly elected Chilean President, Sebastian Pinera. When the miners were discovered to be alive, Mr. Pinera did not fool around. He sent out for help anywhere and everywhere.
Then there is the use of the device, a drill that was able to go the distance and break through to the area where the miners were trapped.
And there was the claustrophobic capsule that lifted each and every man to freedom, in less time than estimated.
And one thing that can not and better not be ignored is the free market and what was able to be used in the rescue.
As noted by The Wall Street Journal's Daniel Henninger, a 74-employee company, Center Rock, Inc provided the drill bit and Schramm, Inc provided the rig that saved the miners.
And at the Ludwig von Mises economics blog, it is noted that there are other innovations that helped as well. Some of the items mentioned were cell phones, special socks and cables. And a lot more.
In other words, as a direct result of free market innovation and progress, something that was unimaginable a mere quarter-century ago happened.
But it also happened because nations and people worked together.
One of the miners that was trapped was a citizen of Bolivia. That president, Evo Morales is to the far left of the conservative Chilean president, Mr. Pinera. But Mr. Morales was at the mine to greet the lone Bolivian, Carlos Mamani. Mr. Mamani was also greeted by Mr. Pinera.
Oh, one last but probably important reason the miners felt that they would be freed.
They mentioned that there was a 34th person with them.
Who would that be?
God, who they said never left them.
A lot of things came together and it is instructive in how to handle a crisis.