‘Hang in there!’, Chilean miner tells Thai boys

Mexico city: Mario Sepulveda (pic), one of the Chilean miners who was trapped underground for 69 days in 2010, had a moving message of encouragement for the boys’ football team trapped in a cave in Thailand: “Hang in there!”

In a video message sent to AFP, Sepulveda – known as “Super Mario” for helping keep his comrades’ spirits up during their ordeal – said his thoughts were with the 12 boys and their coach, so much so that he is trying to organise a trip to Thailand to help.

The mission to rescue the football team from their flooded cave resurrected memories of the Chilean mining accident eight years ago.

Then, the world held its breath as Sepulveda and 32 others survived nearly 10 weeks underground before finally being hauled to the surface one by one.

Dressed in a yellow vest, orange miner’s helmet and headlamp, Sepulveda sent a brief but energetic message to the members of the Wild Boar football team in a 40-second video.

“Mucha fuerza!” he told them – which roughly translates as “Hang in there” or “Much strength.” He said he was trying to raise funds to travel to Thailand himself and help the rescue effort however he can.

“I’m going to see what’s possible. I’m calling someone from the (Chilean) government to try to get some money together.

I think it’s important for us to be there, after what we miners went through,” he said.