All 17 miners trapped in New York salt mine are rescued

LANSING, N.Y. (AP) — Seventeen miners trapped in one of the world's deepest salt mines were rescued this morning, ending a 10-hour ordeal that began when their elevator broke down 900 feet underground.

The workers were descending to the floor of the 2,300-foot-deep Cayuga Salt Mine – nearly deep enough to fit two Empire State Buildings stacked on top of each other – to start their shift when the elevator malfunctioned about 10 p.m. Wednesday, said Mark Klein, a spokesman for mine owner Cargill Inc.

With temperatures in the elevator shaft in the teens – the same as the surface – the miners were cold but otherwise unharmed, said Shawn Wilczynski, the mine manager.

"Their spirits are tremendous. I'm inspired by them, to be quite honest with you," Wilczynski said. "The first four that came out of the mine waited until the last two came out."

Emergency workers communicated via radio with the miners, who had blankets, heat packs and other supplies lowered to them.

The rescued workers ranged in age from 20 to 60, and their mining experience ranged from a few months to four decades, Wilczynski said.