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Eight-Day Tunnel Rescue Saves Venezuelan Man Amid Aftershocks

7/3/2026

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Rescuers Save Man

Rescuers kept the trapped man alive for eight days using a narrow shaft to deliver water, nutrients and oxygen.
Hernán Alberto Gil Flores, rescued alive from the Grande basement, Catia La Mar, Venezuela, on July 2 2026, remains stable.
Rescue teams from nations tunneled through concrete for over 100 hours amid rain and aftershocks.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez posted on X praising the rescuers as a celebration of humanity.

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Rescuers Save

Agencies warn the quake could spark a health crisis as Venezuela’s medical system struggles with thousands of families.
Rescuers pulled 43-year-old Hernán Gil from a building in La Guaira, Venezuela after a 100-hour tunnel amid aftershocks.
President Delcy Rodríguez praised rescuers, saying they gave their bodies, time and souls.
World Food Programme sought $50 million to feed 500,000 people, as United Nations estimated $6.7 billion in damage.

History

Historical Context

The 2010 Chilean rescue of 33 miners, trapped for 69 days after the San José collapse, united Codelco, the Chilean government and NASA in a $50 million drilling effort. That precedent shaped Venezuela’s July 2026 La Guaira operation, where rescuers tunneled for 100 hours to free Hernán Gil, demonstrating how large-scale mine rescues drive international coordination and drilling technology.

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Rescuers Save Man

Rescuers kept the trapped man alive for eight days using a narrow shaft to deliver water, nutrients and oxygen.
Hernán Alberto Gil Flores, rescued alive from the Grande basement, Catia La Mar, Venezuela, on July 2 2026, remains stable.
Rescue teams from nations tunneled through concrete for over 100 hours amid rain and aftershocks.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez posted on X praising the rescuers as a celebration of humanity.

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