Rescue teams in Chile are racing against time to locate four miners still trapped underground after a tunnel collapse at the El Teniente copper mine, following a 4.2 magnitude earthquake on Thursday.
State-owned mining company Codelco confirmed on Sunday that human remains believed to belong to one of the missing workers had been discovered inside the mine, located about 70km (43 miles) south-east of Santiago, the capital.
While the body has yet to be formally identified, the grim discovery has intensified concerns for the remaining miners still unaccounted for.
Codelco stated that rescue efforts are ongoing, with teams working around the clock to access the collapsed areas of the mine.
The workers were reportedly operating deep beneath the surface when the tremor struck, causing sections of the underground tunnels to cave in.
Authorities have yet to provide an update on the condition of the other four miners, as families anxiously await news.
The El Teniente mine is one of the largest copper deposits in the world and a vital part of Chile’s economy.
