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 BEACONSFIELD, Australia (AP) - Rescuers measured progress in fractions of an inch on Monday as they chipped away rock harder than concrete to free two Australian gold miners trapped for nearly two full weeks deep underground.
Working through the night, a team of miners using pneumatic drills tried to punch through 45 feet of rock to reach Brant Webb, 37 and Todd Russell, 34, who have been entombed in a steel cage almost 3,000 feet underground since April 25.
On Monday, rescue teams were forced to shore up the escape shaft, a painstaking safety measure that was expected to further delay the effort to reach the men.
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