2010 Copiapó mining accident San Jose Mine were around 20% higher than at other Chilean mines due to its poor safety record. The collapse occurred at 14:00 CLT on 5 August 2010. Access to the depths of the mine was by a long helical roadway. A group nearer the entrance escaped, but a second group of 33 men were trapped deep inside. A thick dust cloud caused by the rock fall blinded the miners for as much as six hours. Initially, the trapped miners tried to escape through ventilation shafts, but the ladders required by safety codes were missing. Luis Urzúa, the duty shift
The 33 (film) drills to reach the chamber. The first exploratory boreholes move off-target, but a later one reaches the required destination. The miners attach a note to the drill bit to announce their survival. They receive new food and clothing, and television communication with the surface. A second, bigger, drill system is prepared to retrieve the miners one by one. There is drama and tension during the weeks before the successful rescue of all 33 miners, over two months after they became trapped. The story is derived from the August 2010 mine collapse and subsequent rescues in Copiapó, Chile. The film is