The employer of three workers who were trapped in a northern British Columbia mine has spoken of the joyous reaction when the men emerged safely, after more than 60 hours underground.
Itwas "quite a euphoric evening last night," Hy-Tech Drilling's Dwayne Ross said of the moment the men were freed from the remote Red Chris mine at around 10:40 p.m. Thursday.
He told a news briefing that the men — Kevin Coumbs, Darien Maduke and Jesse Chubaty — would soon be back in Smithers, B.C., where Hy-Tech is based.
Bernard Wessels, the global safety chief for the mine's operator, Newmont Corp., said there were "goosebumps and happiness" when the contractors emerged from the gold and copper mine, about 500 kilometres northwest of Terrace, B.C.
The men, who were inside a steel refuge 284 metres below the surface, "held hope and strength through their every moment" and would be reunited with their families Friday, Wessels told the briefing.
A statement from Newmont said the workers were in "good physical and mental condition" when they were found.
"As a precaution, they were taken for medical evaluations and offered access to counselling," it said, adding reuniting the workers with their families was the immediate focus.
The trio had been trapped by two "falls of ground" that blocked an access tunnel. Wessels described the complex rescue operation involving drones, a remote-controlled scoop and a protected rescue vehicle that got them out.
He said the "big, big pieces of equipment" cleared a path through a blockage about 20 metres long.
"With the area stabilized, the emergency response team advanced across the impacted zone using equipment with an engineered falling object protect system," he said, referring to an enclosure on a vehicle used in dangerous locations.
"Upon reaching the refuge chamber, the team found Kevin, Darien, and Jesse in stable condition. Together with the emergency response team, they returned to (the) surface using the same protective equipment."
He said the men walked on their own to the rescue vehicle and they were taken out one by one.
The first fall of ground had occurred at 7:47 a.m. Tuesday, prompting the men to retreat to the refuge equipped with air, food and water, before the second, bigger fall around 10:30 a.m.
Wessels said the refuge was about 700 metres from where both falls occurred.
He said the men emerged in "healthy spirits" and the first thing they wanted to do was catch up on their sleep.
Newmont, based in Denver, Colo., said in a statement that the outcome was a "result of tireless collaboration, technical expertise, and above all, safety and care."
"We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the rescue teams and all those involved."
No prior fall-of-ground events had occurred in the tunnel where the men became trapped, the company said, adding it had been subjected to routine inspections.
"This incident was highly localized and unexpected" the statement said. "A full investigation will be conducted to determine the root cause and share learnings with the broader industry."
B.C. Premier David Eby hailed the outcome and the "heroic work of the rescue team."
"The three drillers demonstrated remarkable courage over the 60-plus hours of being trapped underground," he said.
The workers had been identified on Thursday by Hy-Tech, saying Coumbs was from Ontario, Maduke from B.C. and Chubaty from Manitoba.
It described Coumbs and Chubaty as drillers and Maduke as a driller's helper.
Newmont said open-pit operations had resumed at the mine. Those operations were separate from the underground project, it said.
"The underground area where the incident occurred remains secured. No work will resume there until a full investigation is completed and safety is reassessed."
— With files from Ashley Joannou in Vancouver
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 25, 2025.
