Chilean Miners 60 Minutes Interview: Victims Contemplated Suicide, Cannibalism (VIDEO)

Several of the Chilean miners heroically rescued last October after more than two months trapped underground sat down for an interview with Bob Simon of "60 Minutes," set to air this weekend.

Doctors say all but one of the 33 miners have experienced severe psychological issues since the ordeal. They lived in constant fear of death during their entrapment nearly a half-mile underground, contemplating suicide and even cannibalism. "I said to a friend, 'Well, if we are going to continue suffering, it would be better for us to all go to the refuge, start an engine and with the carbon monoxide, just let ourselves go,'" said Zamora, one of the workers interviewed.

Other miners described debilitating anxiety since surfacing four months ago. While attempting to reclaim their lives, some take medication, and others struggle to rebuild the relationships they once had with friends and family members. One man is constructing a wall around his home.

"Before I went in, I was a happy guy," Zamora said. "Being trapped, watching my friends around me die, rocks falling...the other me is still in there."

See the whole segment this Sunday at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CBS' "60 Minutes."

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Comments

[FTracy3]

04:00 PM on 02/14/2011

These thoughts largely occurred after they got word the producers on The View were negotiating for their first post-rescue interviews.

[wowme]

01:54 PM on 02/14/2011

Now this interview is interesting not the interviews whether if they like elvis or not

[2tango]

10:35 PM on 02/13/2011

Well it shouldn't be surprise to nobody such thinking.
Years ago when an Uruguayan airliner crash in the Andes, they end up eating their dead ones.

[SgtLucifer]

06:23 PM on 02/11/2011

Gee...weez, Louis!!! I wish these miners would get over these "woe is me" story. So what if they spent 30 days half-a-mile down the mines? Big deal !!! It's not like they weren't aware of the risk of the career that gave them the good life. Like the good Senator Mitch McConnell rightfully noted, they should have climbed out of the mines. Instead they lounged down there for over 30 days so the media could shower them with unwarranted attention. If I were the CEO of the coal mine, I would have summarily fired them for dereliction of duty.

[jusathot]

11:19 PM on 02/15/2011

Sixty minutes went digging for a story.

[GrainOfSand]

05:23 PM on 02/11/2011

What an amazing story overall. They survived it and human ingenuity got them out. So glad it ended up in such a positive way. It was a heartfelt story for those miners, their family and the country itself. I also liked how other countries were contributing resources to the rescue attempts as well. It did bring the world together in peace and unity for rescuing human beings from danger. It wasn't about the money, it was about those human beings stuck underground--to get them out.

And they got out with the help of a lot of different people coming together that otherwise wouldn't have. I think it shows the power of doing good things for people without an ulterior profitable motive, other than to help them live.

[JShankel]

05:08 PM on 02/11/2011

All but one have suffered psychological trauma?  I wanna hear from that guy.

[jmk6653]

04:09 PM on 02/11/2011

This was such a horrible story to have those miners trapped for that period of time and we kept hearing that they were closer and closer to the rescue - and how happy they all were to be reunited with their loved ones when they finally did get out - it brought tears to my eyes and many others - you had to wonder how they could survive in that tunnel with each other for 24/7 when most of us aren't with anyone 24/7 - none of this surprises me - I just hope that they are all mentally healed and that they can enjoy the rest of their lives - I doubt any of us would trade their fame for what they went through - Best wishes to all of them!!

[foothills]

04:26 PM on 02/11/2011

One doesn't go through this type of trauma and be mentally healed in a short time. It will take months, maybe years for some to heal; some might never heal.

[TricksR4Kids]

03:39 PM on 02/11/2011

Chile won't abandon them. If in the USA, once the profit margin is off these men they would be tossed aside.

[JShankel]

05:10 PM on 02/11/2011

No one should be trapped in more mine than they can afford.  Personal responsibility.

[Kepler Poinsot]

02:29 PM on 02/11/2011

When the microphone and camera was turned off they could be heard saying, "Maybe now we can get a movied deal like that Uruguayan rugby team did?"

Alive - 1993

[earteaga31]

03:04 PM on 02/11/2011

Please provide a source for this claim.

[AZterritory]

03:58 PM on 02/11/2011

I think he was being sarcastic but it just came across as stupid.

[MexiChick67]

01:04 PM on 02/11/2011

I think that these men should talk to the Argentine guys who survived the airplane crash up in the Andes back in the 60s. They were up in the snow capped mountains for months with little hope for rescue. They did have to resort to cannibalism to survive. I saw a documentary a few months ago and they all have done well, considering what they went through. There are few people on earth who can tell these guys 'I know how you feel'.

[theobserver4]

01:04 PM on 02/11/2011

I'm mildly claustrophobic without having been in a mining disaster I honestly can not begin to imagine the psychological trauma of being underground for 2 months. I probably would've ran for the exhaust hose too.....

[Courtenay Jones]

12:18 PM on 02/11/2011

I'm usually one to jump at the thought of making an inappropriate joke but that '60 minutes', 47 sec preview I just saw was incredibly sad. Everyone on here making jokes I'm not judging you I'm just saying it is TOO SOON. I'm known as a girl with a dark sense of humor at times, who laughs at almost any & everything. Nothing on here was even slightly amusing...

[MDUB1969]

12:27 PM on 02/11/2011

F&F
I think it's safe to say, as with 9/11, that there will likely never be an appropriate time to turn this topic into the subject of humor. Why does our culture have such a hard time giving respect to those who suffer through and survive horrific and traumatic experiences. If anyone deserves to be regarded with respect, these miners do. It's simply not a time for lame attempts at humor.

[liberal123]

01:12 PM on 02/11/2011

So many of the comments on this thread are creepy and disconcerting. I really don't know where some of these people are coming from - they seem to lack empathy or understanding that it's not funny to joke about these people whose lives and families lives have been ruined. It's unusual to see this kind of hostility and mean-spiritedness on hp.

[BlueZoo]

02:52 PM on 02/11/2011

I take exception to your last sentence. It is the norm on HuffPo for people to be callous and lacking in compassion. Visit the Living, Health and Religion sections and you really see a lot of this going on. We've descended into a sort of spiritual anarchy where our very minds have been hardened such that our hearts have followed.

[pcbklyn]

06:41 PM on 02/12/2011

They're not "people," strictly speaking. But not surprising to see on Huff Post -- these creatures have a lot of alone time to sit online and take their self-loathing out on others all day long. Very sad.

[Jon Whittaker]

12:12 PM on 02/11/2011

They should be alright, Chile has a better healthcare system than we do.

[hcbhuff]

01:27 PM on 02/11/2011

I wouldn't be so sure about that.

[Jon Whittaker]

06:43 PM on 02/11/2011

Just ask the World Health Organization

[Jon Whittaker]

06:47 PM on 02/11/2011

photius(dot)com/rankings/healthranks.html

[Bulk Vanderhuge]

04:29 PM on 02/11/2011

Jon Whittaker - Why do you people open your mouth without knowing WTH you are saying???

My wife is From Chile, and we have spent time there...in NO WAY, SHAPE, or FORM can it be said that they have a better health care system, ok?

[Jon Whittaker]

06:42 PM on 02/11/2011

The World Health Organization would disagree with you. They ranked all of the world's healthcare systems. Chile was #33, the United States was #37. You can look it up yourself if you like. I wasn't stating my opinion, I was just relaying facts. I'm sorry that you're unhappy with that.

[Nelle]

12:03 PM on 02/11/2011

You never know what you'll do unless you're really faced with it. No one should pass judgment on these men from the comfort of their nicely warmed or air-conditioned homes.

[StopMakingSense2]

11:50 AM on 02/11/2011

Naturally! Who wouldn't? Social norms go out the window under extreme circumstances. Look up the Donner Party. Family members ate each other.