位于智利北部阿塔卡马沙漠的圣何塞铜矿8月5日发生塌方，33名井下作业人员被困在地面以下近700米（2300英尺）处，救援难度极大。救援人员必须用特殊的钻机穿透深达688米的坚硬岩层，开凿一个新井直达矿工们被困的空间，才能救出他们。

The 33 miners trapped underground in Chile are estimated to have already lost up to 22lbs after surviving 17 days.

The 33 miners trapped underground in Chile have been told to maintain exercise regimes（政权，政体） to ensure they are slim enough to fit through a rescue hole.

The men, estimated to have already lost up to 22lbs after surviving 17 days with only a mouthful or two of tuna（金枪鱼） , a biscuit and half a glass of milk every 48 hours, have been warned not to put on too much weight through lack of exercise.

A tape measure has been sent down to record their waistlines（腰围） after Jaime Mañalich, the Minister of Health, said it was essential they remained slim enough to fit through the 26 inch borehole（地上凿洞） that will eventually take them up to the surface.

In an attempt to keep them fit and sane¹（健全的，理智的） , they have been given daily tasks such as digging a latrine（公共厕所） , while they will also be delivered playing cards, dominoes, pens and paper and music to relieve（解除，减轻） the boredom².

Jose Hernandez, a NASA astronaut, said the space agency, with its long research on aiding astronauts isolated³ in space, could help the Chileans understand how to provide "psychological support for those trapped".

He also said the Americans could help design "an exercise protocol⁴ to prevent muscle atrophy⁵（萎缩） ".

NASA said it would be provide "support as requested".

The men, trapped 2,300ft underground in the San Jose gold and copper⁶ mine, will also be sent a video camera so they can record messages for their families above ground.

On Wednesday, the men were finally told they could be stuck in their collapsed⁷ mine for months before being rescued.

The men had not been told until now that it could take until Christmas to drill a shaft⁸ wide enough to bring them up into daylight for fear of the damage it could do to their morale⁹（士气，斗志） .

Mr Mañalich confirmed that they were now told.

"We were able to tell them ... they would not be rescued before the Fiestas Patrias (Chile's September 18 Independence Day celebrations), and that we hoped to get them out before Christmas," he said.

He said the men, trapped 2,300 feet below ground, took the information calmly, but he warned "a period of depression, anguish¹⁰（痛苦，苦恼） and severe malaise（不舒服，心神不安） " could ensue.

In a conversation with the President of Chile late on Tuesday they said they were in good spirits but implored¹¹: “Get us out of this hell.”

President Sebastian Piñera assured the workers that they would not be abandoned, telling them they were “going to keep doing everything humanly possible to get you back to the surface.”

As well as contacting NASA, the Chilean navy has been called in to share their experience of working in submarines, conditions said to be similar to that of the miners.

Engineers said they expected to be ready at the weekend to install a drill that will take between three to four months to create the rescue shaft.