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DIVERS IN MINES
RESCUE WORK RECALLED
Experience in West
Cables describing the operations of
three divers in the flooded colliery at
Redding, Scotland, r.ecall a spectacular
rescue effected nearly 20 yers ago on
the Western Australian goldfields.
A mine at Bonnievale became flooded
without warning, but all the miners
succceeded in escaping to the surfacei
with the exception of an Italian namedt
Varischetti, who was entrapped by the
rising water at the end of a drive.
The air in this working not being able
to escape, was compressed and held the
water back, forming a pocket where the
miner huddled in darkness.
It was thought that Varischetti might1
he entrapped in that manner, and stre-I
nuous efforts were made i;o lower the
water, but operations were slow. The
Italian had kept up a periodical tap-i
ping, and this was at last heard by the
rescuers.
Telegrams were sent to Perth for aid
and a special train raced 350 miles from
the coast with a diver named Hearne
and two diving outfits. A miner named
Hughes, who had previously been a sea
diver, volunteered for the work, and as
he had knowledge of mine workings he
led the way down the tortuous drives
and shafts, while Diver Hearne kept
his airhose and lifeline free from kinks
as it trailed behind him.
In this manner Diver Hughes came
out of the water and flashed an electric
torch on the startled Varischetti. He
took him food and messages that the
water was falling rapidly. The sugges
tion was made that the other diving
suit should be taken by Hughes into
the drive for ,Varischetti to don and
escape in. This idea was not practic
able owing to the Italians inexperience
with such apparatus, and his weak state
from privation.
Hughes continued to visit the en
tombed miner, carrying him food, and
after he had been imprisoned a week
the water was low enough to enable the
d(liver to bear the emaciated Italian into
the safety of the main shaft, whence he
was brought to the surface amid the
cheers of an anxious crowd.
After a short sojourn in hospital Va
rischetti recovered, b'ut his constitution
was affected by the terrible experience.
Diver Hughes, the hero of the rescue,
died in Queensland last year.
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