Trapped Chilean Miners Send Video Love Letter to Loved Ones

This is new video of some of the 33 trapped Chilean miners is a virtual love letter to their loved ones. They speak about their families and their condition in the mine. They say they are doing better now that they have received food. I just heard Fox News say there is a plan to get the miners out in 60 days, rather than the first estimate of 120 days.

Chilean Miners

The main shaft of the mine collapsed on August 5th and all of the men in the mine were able to take refuge inside a shelter. It took 17 days for the outside world to know that the men were alive. According to this Fox News article, this video was a video love letter to family.

The miners will have to aid in their own escape by clearing thousands of tons of rock that will fall as a rescue hole is drilled toward them.

"The miners are going to have to take out all that material as it falls," Andres Sougarret, Codelco's head engineer on the operation, told The Associated Press Sunday in a phone interview.

After drilling three small bore holes in recent weeks to create lines of communication with the miners and deliver basic food and medicine, Chile's state-owned Codelco mining company will begin boring a rescue hole Monday afternoon that will be wide enough to pull the men up through 2,300 feet of earth.

The first step will be to drill a "pilot hole" similar in size to the other three. Then much larger machine cutters will slowly grind through that hole, forcing crushed rock to fall down into the mine shaft area near the trapped men.

Failure to keep the bottom clear of debris could quickly plug the hole, delaying a rescue that officials say could take three to four months.

In all, the trapped miners will have to clear between 3,000 and 4,000 tons of rock, work that will require crews of about a half-dozen men working in shifts 24 hours a day.

The men have basic clearing equipment, such as wheel barrows and industrial-sized battery-powered sweepers, Sougarret said. The hole will likely end up several hundred yards from their living area in the mine's shelter, giving the men room to maneuver and store the rocks, he added.

Chilean Miners trapped since August 5, 2010

Beth Holloway Joran van der Sloot: Holloway Extorted by Van der Sloot

Greta van Susteran revealed tonight that Beth Holloway paid a partial payment to van der Sloot  in exchange for information on the location of her missing daughter Natalee Holloway.

Natalee Holloway

Today, the U.S. Government filed a suit in U.S. District Court charging Joran van der Sloot with extortion. A "financial institution in Birmingham, Alabama issued the payment. Van der Sloot wouldn't talk until he received the entire $250,000 payment.

The Criminal Complaint:

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ALABAMA

CRIMINAL COMPLAINT (Amended)

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

v. CASE NUMBER: MAG 1 0-117

JORAN VAN DER SLOOT,

defendant

I, William K. Bryan, the undersigned complainant, being duly sworn, state the following is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief: Count One

That on or about May 10, 20lO, the defendant, Joran van der Sloot, did obstruct, delay, and affect commerce and the movement of any article or commodity in commerce, by extortion and attempts to do so, in that, the defendant did knowingly and wilfully cause another person to wire transfer a partial payment of money ($15,000) from a financial institution in Birmingham, Alabama, to a financial institution in the Netherlands, after representing to the other person that he would provide the location of Natalee Holloway's remains in Aruba and information regarding the circumstances of her death, upon receipt of $250,000 from the other person, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951(a).

Count Two

That on or about May 10, 20 lO, the defendant, Joran van der Sioot, having devised or intending to devise any scheme and artifice to defraud, or for obtaining money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, did knowingly and with intent to defraud did knowingly and wilfully cause to be transmitted by means of wire communication in interstate and foreign commerce, any writings, signs, signals, pictures, or sounds, that being, a wire transfer in the amount of $15,000, from Birmingham, Alabama, to the Netherlands for the purpose of executing and attempting to execute such scheme and artifice, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.

I further state that I am a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and that this complaint is based on the facts set forth in the affidavit, which is attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

See Attachment" A"

Sworn to before me and subscribed in my presence,

at Birmingham, Alabama Date

City and State

PAUL W. GREENE Chief United States Magistrate Judge

Name and Title of Judicial Officer PAUL W. GREENE FILED 2010 Jun-03 PM 03:46 U.S. DISTRICT COURT N.D. OF ALABAMA Case 2:10-mj-00117-PWG Document 8 Filed 06/03/10 Page 1 of 1

I cannot imagine the agony of the Holloway family. Five years after the disappearance of their daughter, this obscene, perverted psycho tells them he will let them on his little secret - where they can find their daughter for a payment of $250,000. Unbelievable!

For information and background on Joran van der Sloot, the disappearance of Natalee Holloway and the murder this week of Stephany Tatiana Flores Ramirez - found in a room registered to Joran in a Lima, Peru hotel, and his apprehension and arrest today near Santiago, Chile, these articles are the latest:

Joran van der Sloot Arrested in Chile for Murder - Arrest Video

Joran Van der Sloot suspect in Murder of Stephany Flores Ramirez

Joran van der Sloot's Father Dies - more on Joran.

Joran van der Sloot Arrested: Joran van der Sloot Arrested in Chile for Murder Video

Joran van der Sloot was arrested in Chile today, after being on the run from Lima, Peru. Stephany Tatiana Flores Ramirez was found dead in a hotel room in Lima, said to be registered to Joran van der Sloot. Continuing updates. See the arrest video below. See ongoing updates - a one-stop documentation of Joran van der Sloot.

Update 6-8-10: Joran van der Sloot has confessed to the murder of Stephany Flores Ramirez. Read that story here.

Joran van der Sloot

Van der Sloot was in a taxi near the city of Vina del Mar when apprehended by police. He was taken to police headquarters in Santiago, Chile. He was escorted by three Chilean police officers. You'll see in the video below that he is not handcuffed, which is astonishing. Someone is shouting his name. His hair is very short and seems to be reddish in color.

Peru's Interior Minister, Octavio Salazar Miranda, said the country has made arrangements with Interpol to extradite van der Sloot from Chile back to Peru, which officials say could take up to five days.

A taxi driver, Oswaldo Aparcana said a man bearing Joran's description paid him to drive him from Lima to the other side of the Chilean border.

Cesar Guardia Vasques, Chile Interpol, said there is "incriminating evidence" linking Joran to the brutal stabbing death of Stephany Flores Ramirez, who was found in a pool of blood, wrapped in a blanket in room 309 in Hotel Tac in the Miraflores section of Lima on Wednesday morning, June 2nd. It is believed she had been murdered on Sunday.

Joran was seen with Stephany by hotel employees, and reportedly hotel guests, entering his room at about 5 a.m. Previously, they were seen at a casino and police have video-taped evidence.

Stephany Tatiana Flores Ramirez

The father of Ms. Flores-Ramirez, Ricardo Flores, said "We have all the evidence to show that the killer is this man."

Five years ago Joran van der Sloot darkened history when the disappearance of Alabama teenager, Natalee Holloway, haunted the news for months. Joran was the last person known to be with Natalee when she disappeared. Eerily, Van der Sloot and Natalee were also together at a casino just before her disappearance. Her body has not been located. According to Mr. Flores, his daughter was murdered about 8 a.m. Sunday morning, May 30th, which is exactly the five year anniversary of the disappearance of Natalee Holloway.

Natalee Holloway

Van der Sloot was arrested twice in connection to the Holloway suspected murder, but was released each time. He has confessed a couple of times, claiming differing methods of doing away with Holloway's body, but the right people have never taken him seriously. Now another young woman is dead.


Related and Background:
Joran Chronicles: Joran van der Sloot Updates
Joran van der Sloot Confesses to Murder of Stephany Flores Ramirez
Joran van der Sloot Arrested
Joran van der Sloot Suspect in Murder of Stephany Flores Ramirez
Joran van der Sloot's Father Dies - more on Joran.





Joran van der Sloot Arrest in Chile (video)

6.3 Magnitude Aftershock in Concepcion Chile: Another Tsunami Alert

ABC news just reported a 6.3 aftershock in Concepcion, Chile, which has triggered another tsunami alert. Much of Concepcion has been leveled in the 8.8 magnitude quake last week. I'll have details and updates as available.

Update 12:40 PM CST: Megyn Kelly is reporting that people in the already devastated town of Concepcion panicked. She also said there is no danger of a tsunami, so there are conflicting reports.

Update 2:16 PM CST: David Lee Miller on FOXNews reports that the tsunami alert has been cancelled. Along with the 6.0 aftershock were three others in the range of a high 5 magnitude. The aftershocks were long and rolling.

See reporting on last week's 8.8 mag. quake here.

Chile Earthquake Update: 2 Million Homeless

Chile's 8.8 magnitude earthquake early yesterday morning has wreaked havoc on the country that already held the unfortunate record of being the home of the strongest earthquake on record, a 9.5 magnitude, now takes second place as well. Today we hear more than 700 are dead, 2 million are homeless, one million buildings are damaged, 500,000 of them homes, and the cities are dealing with downed bridges and upheaved highways. The video below is raw footage from a security camera as the quake hit. Update 3-3-10 795 reported dead this morning. Update 3-3-10 see reports of a 6.3 aftershock in Concepcion here.

 Chile - raw security camera footage

Aftershocks in massive numbers and strong magnitudes continue to rock the people fighting for survival. Some 90 aftershocks have been recorded, with the worst being 6.2, 6.0, 6.9, 6.1, 6.0, with many in-between measuring close to 6.0., and one today measuring 6.1.

In the coastal areas, where damage is heavy from both tremblors and tsunami waters, people are desparate for food and clean water, and looting has begun.

 In Constitucion, located near the city of Concepcion and the quake's epicenter, 350 people died as tremblors and tsunami waves hit the town. Constitucion, located about 220 miles south of the capital city of Santiago. Large fishing boats were swept onto land and cars flipped in this seaside town of about 38,000.

Pelluhu, Chile a popular seaside resort with a population of about 1,000 is said to be destroyed. Summer is underway in Chile and the town may have had many more tourists when the quake hit. Jim Hoft at GatewayPundit has some awesome photos of Pellehu.

Concepcion, a city of about 690,000 regionally, 200,000 in the city proper, is located only about 70 miles from the epicenter. The downtown area is said to be mostly rubble. There is no power.  The country's death toll was boosted this morning as it is feared 60 - 100 people may be found dead in the collapse of a new 15-story apartment building in Concepcion.

Concepcion, Chile - new apartment building

It took rescuers 24-hours to get 16 people out alive and another 6 dead. Rescue efforts were stalled as police fired tear gas at looters. In photos linked below, you can see a rescue using a cable to slide a young man down to safety. President Bachelet said the list of missing is growing.

She [President Bachelet] signed a decree giving the military control over security in the province of Concepcion, where looters were pillaging supermarkets, gas stations, pharmacies and banks.

Today, large waves were continuing their assault near Concepcion in the Bio-Bio region.

President Bachelet announced that she is sending army troops into Concepcion to help restore order and assist in rescue and recovery:

Crowds overran supermarkets in the port city of Concepcion, which sustained widespread damage, and were making off with food, water and diapers but also television sets. Several banks also were hit. Police in armored vehicles sprayed looters with water cannons and made several arrests, mostly of young men.

The Juan Fernandez Islands are reporting dead and missing. On Robinson Crusoe Island, the largest of the Juan Fernandez Islands, a tsunami surged over two miles inland into San Juan Bautista village where at least 5 are dead and 11 missing.

A Concepcion resident said he an his daughter escaped their building "in terror amid shattering glass and an ungodly roar," because he was able to throw clothing on the floor to protect their feet as they exited the nightmare that was once their home.

For anyone in an earthquake-prone-area (like my son), I'm struck by the constant advice to always keep shoes close to your bed, or wherever you are resting shoeless, as cuts are the major cause of amputations after an earthquake.

In Santiago:

...the century-old national Fine Arts Museum was badly damaged, and an apartment building's two-story parking lot pancaked, smashing about 50 cars whose alarms rang incessantly.

A car dangled from a shattered overpass and overturned vehicles lay scattered below. "I can now say in all surety that seat belts save lives in automobiles," said Cristian Alcaino, who survived the fall in his car.

Though most modern buildings survived, a church bell tower collapsed and several hospitals were evacuated because of damage.

Santiago's Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport was closed, with smashed windows, collapsed ceilings, and destroyed walkways in the passenger terminals. The capital's subway was also shut, and hundreds of buses were stuck behind a damaged bridge.

Marco Vidal, a program director for Grand Circle Travel traveling with a group of 34 Americans, was on the 19th floor of the Crowne Plaza Santiago Hotel when the quake struck.

Bachelet called for damage assessment experts, field hospitals, temporary bridges, and fresh water and water purification equipment.

To strip away any need for looting, Bachelet announced that essentials on the shelves of major supermakrets would be given away for free, under the supervision of authorities. Troops and police will also distribute food and water, she said.

In the country's main seaport town of Valparaiso two oil refineries are closed and damage assessment are underway. Elsewhere, Codelco's copper mining facilities were shutdown just after the quake but are gearing up to restart. Chile is the No. 1 copper-producing country and Codelco is the biggest copper-producing company.

While workers in the U.S. Embassy have been reported "okay" and "all accounted for," U.S. Ambassador Paul Simons says three Embassy "wardens" in Concepcion have not been in contact.

See some exceptional photos here.

Original Reporting - Related and Background:
Chile 8.8 Devastation - Tsunami Alert

Hawaii Live Stream Awaiting Tsunami - Watch Live

If all works correctly, the video below should be live streaming video - on air - from Hawaii. At 12:05 PM Hawaii time (5:05 PM EST), reports are coming through that tsunami effects are being to be seen in Hawaii. Waters are receding, and the surge is beginning. In Hilo no water over the breakwall. Wave action with little to no impact at 12:13 PM Hawaii time - more than one hour later than large waves were expected. The tsunami warning for Hawaii has been lifted. Read a report from Hilo below the live stream.

Live video chat by Ustream  From MSNBC's WorldBlog:

Don Sullivan of Denver, Colo., was vacationing in Hilo when he was awoken at 6 a.m. local time by tsunami warning sirens and forced to evacuate to high ground.  Sirens continued to blare every hour after than, he said.  

"The evacuation seemed smooth, but there were huge gas lines," he said.

He drove to a nearby scenic overlook about 100 feet above the beach, where he had a good view of the tsunami waves as they arrived. The sky was full of helicopters, he said, but there was no sense of panic among the evacuees.

Two hours before the first wave hit, at about 2 p.m. ET, Sullivan said "The whales (were) going nuts, very, very active," he said.  Then, about an hour before that wave, only a single whale remained in view.  [He was] "About 100 yards out, young, looks like he is confused, bobbing up and down, he is in trouble," Sullivan said.  

Then, just after 4 p.m. ET, the water receded with eery calm away from the coast.  

"The beach line quickly (got) wider," he said.  A few minutes later, the water rushed back in. "The bay (looks) bizarre, like a blender," he said.  The churned up bay filled with dirty water, he said.  There was no sign of the struggling whale after the second wave, he said.

Then, at around 5:45, after three "surges" of water, the whales reappeared, suggesting to Sullivan that nature might be getting back to normal. 

"The choppers are leaving and the whales are returning," he said.

But public officials continue to issues warning that the tsunami was still dangerous, so Sullivan, 47, had no idea what to do next.

"We don't really know what to do with ourselves," he said. "I've been up since yesterday morning and we don't know if we will be allowed to go back to our hotel."

Hawaii Chile Earthquake: Tsunami Wave to Hit Hawaii at 4:05 PM EST

The first waves are expected to arrive in Hawaii at 11:05 AM local time, 4:05 PM EST. Continuing updates as available. At 6:00 AM Hawaii time, 11AM EST, FOXNews reports live, that sirens are sounding now in Hawaii. There remains about 5 hours to evacuate tsunami zones. Hilo Bay area may receive the highest waves.  The tsunami warning for Hawaii has been lifted. Read the story of an American tourist on Hilo below.


See live streaming video from Hawaii here.


12:05 PM Hawaii Time (5:10 PM EST) The first surge is nearing the island of Hawaii.

At 11:55 AM EST, Malia Zimmerman with the Hawaiian Reporter says waves are expected to be 6'-12', in long continuing waves - lasting several hours. Some sirens are not working.



WARNING from Charles McCreery: Do not go to the beaches to see the waves. The waves are unpredictable and you may not be able to get out of the way. Go to higher ground.

The tsunami is said to be moving across the Pacific Ocean at the speed of a jet liner.

Charles McCreery, director of The Ewa Beach, a Hawaii-based center, called for "urgent action to protect lives and property." McCreery said the waves are expected to be the biggest to hit Hawaii since 1964.

The state planned to sound warning sirens statewide at 6 a.m. to alert residents and tourists of the incoming tsunami, said Shelly Ichishita, spokeswoman for state civil defense.

People in coastal areas, such as tourist-filled Waikiki, will then be instructed on a possible evacuation. The sirens will also be sounded again three hours prior to the estimated arrival time.

"If you're in an evacuation zone, police or civil defense volunteers would instruct you to evacuate, or instructions will come out over the radio and TV," she said.

If coastal areas are evacuated, visitors in Waikiki would be moved to higher floors in their hotels, rather than moved out of the tourist district, which could cause gridlock.

At 11 AM EST Rick Reichmuth at FOX says warning sirens are sounding, which indicates that ocean buoys are indicating that there are tsunami waves forming.

Update 2-27-10:
Eucadorean President Rafael Correa said a tsunami has passed the Galapagos Islands, causing a swell but no damage.

In Hawaii, tourists in Waikiki may be moved to higher floors in hotels.

10:40 EST - This report says Hilo on Hawaii Island may receive the biggest waves. "The shape of the Bay [Hilo Bay] favors the waves gaining in height. Beaches throughout the Hawaiian Islands are being evacuated.

Get off the shore line. We are closing all the beaches and telling people to drive out of the area," said John Cummings, Oahu Civil

11:40 EST - The Mayor of Honolulu, on FOXNews said tourists will be moved to the third floor of hotels or higher.

From MSNBC's WorldBlog:

Don Sullivan of Denver, Colo., was vacationing in Hilo when he was awoken at 6 a.m. local time by tsunami warning sirens and forced to evacuate to high ground.  Sirens continued to blare every hour after than, he said.  

"The evacuation seemed smooth, but there were huge gas lines," he said.

He drove to a nearby scenic overlook about 100 feet above the beach, where he had a good view of the tsunami waves as they arrived. The sky was full of helicopters, he said, but there was no sense of panic among the evacuees.

Two hours before the first wave hit, at about 2 p.m. ET, Sullivan said "The whales (were) going nuts, very, very active," he said.  Then, about an hour before that wave, only a single whale remained in view.  [He was] "About 100 yards out, young, looks like he is confused, bobbing up and down, he is in trouble," Sullivan said.  

Then, just after 4 p.m. ET, the water receded with eery calm away from the coast.  

"The beach line quickly (got) wider," he said.  A few minutes later, the water rushed back in. "The bay (looks) bizarre, like a blender," he said.  The churned up bay filled with dirty water, he said.  There was no sign of the struggling whale after the second wave, he said.

Then, at around 5:45, after three "surges" of water, the whales reappeared, suggesting to Sullivan that nature might be getting back to normal. 

"The choppers are leaving and the whales are returning," he said.

But public officials continue to issues warning that the tsunami was still dangerous, so Sullivan, 47, had no idea what to do next.

"We don't really know what to do with ourselves," he said. "I've been up since yesterday morning and we don't know if we will be allowed to go back to our hotel." 

Related and Background:
Chile 8.8 Quake Devastation Tsunami Alert: 131' Wave Hits Chile: Hawaii Tsunami Warning 

Chile 8.8 Quake Devastation Tsunami Alert: Chile 131 foot Wave Hits: Hawaii Tsunami Warning

A massive earthquake hit Chile this morning. Tsunami warnings are out, and there are reports of a 131-foot wave the Juan Fernandez Islands. Continuing updates as available. NBC reportes  a tsunami wave is expected to reach Hawaii's coastline at 11:19 AM local time and  4:19 PM EST. Continuing updates as available. See updates below. If you are concerned about loved ones in Chile, call the U.S. State Department at 1-888-407-4747. See video below. See the latest update here.

Chile 8.8 Earthquake

Two million people in Chile have been affected.

The quake hit at 3:30 AM local time, and less than 100 miles north of the city of Concepcion, the second largest city in Chili. Power and phone lines are out-of-service. In Santiago, hospitals have been evacuated and the airport is closed. Santiago is located 200 miles from Concepcion.

 

Santiago, Chile Earthquake Devastation

Concepcion is the country's second-largest country. More than 200,000 people live along the Bio Bio river. It is reported that the Nuestra Senora de la Providencia church was heavily damaged and the bell tower collapsed.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS):

Magnitude 8.8

Depth 35 km (21.7 miles)

Region: Offshore Maule, Chile

Distances:

100 km (60 miles) NNW of Chillan, Chile

105 km (65 miles) WSW of Talca, Chile

115 km (70 miles) NNE of Concepcion, Chile

325 km (200 miles) SW of SANTIAGO, Chile

Reports from Santiago, Chile, said 85 122 147  214 300 are known dead in the southern Maule region. President Michelle Bachelet declared a "state of catastrophe."

Chile Earthquake 

The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake struck 56 miles northeast of the city of Concepcion at a depth of 22 miles at 3:34 a.m. (1:34 a.m. ET).

Jessica Sigala, a geophysicist with the USGS told NBC News that the quake released 500 times more energy than the than the one that hit Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on January 12. The quake was felt in Buenos Aires, Argentina, which is located more than 800 miles away.

Tsunami warnings were issued for Hawaii, South America, Australia and New Zealand, Japan, the Philippines, Russia and many other Pacific islands.

Chile is the home to the world's biggest earthquake, measuring 9.5 magnitude, in 1960. At least 1,655 people died and 2 million were left homeless.

Today's earthquake is 64 times stronger than the one that Haiti in January 2010. It is deeper than the Haiti quake and due to the depth, it is hoped there will be fewer casualties.

Continuing updates as available for the Chile 8.8. earthquake.

Updates on Americans in Chile:

P.J. Crowley, a U.S. State Department spokesman says there are 100 Embassy personnel in Chile and "all are okay and accounted for."

Update 2-27-10:

As of 10:20 AM EST, no American deaths have been reported.

Aftershock Updates:

6.9 reported the largest as of 11:20 AM EST.
USGS reported 11 aftershocks, of which five measured 6.0 or above.
On FOXNews at 10:40 EST: the largest aftershock at this time is 6.9

Tsunami Updates:

A USGS spokesman speaking on FOXNews at 10:40 AM EST just said a tsunami wave is expected to hit the coastline somewhere in Hawaii at 4:19 PM EST.

11:00 AM Ecuador time: 11:0 AM EST - Ecuador's president, Rafael Correa said a tsunami has passed the Galapagos Islands, causing a swell but no damage.

A "huge" wave hit the Robinson Crusoe Islands 410 miles off the Chilean coast. There are no reports of injuries or major damage at this time.

From The:SunUK:

 British experts said a giant wave was now spreading from the epicentre in Chile towards the famous Easter Islands and then outwards in to the Pacific.

The extent of the tsunami's strength is not yet known, but it has already reached the southern Juan Fernandez Islands, about 400 miles off the coast of Chile, where it was reported to have caused "serious damage".

"Tsunami waves in the deep ocean travel about the same speed as a jet plane and would take about 15 hours to reach Hawaii and about 20 hours to reach the other side of the Pacific," he added.

Tsunami warnings were issued for Guam, American Samoa and other Pacific islands.

All Hawaiian coastlines are under Tsunami warning, including Waikiki.

Update 2-27-10 12:20 EST: Four people died in a tsunami on Juan Fernandez islands.

In the City of Concepcion, a city of 670,000, a 15-story apartment building collapsed, along with many of the adobe houses. There is darkness tonight, light coming from bonfires.


Related and Background:
Hawaii Chile Earthquake: Tsunami Wave to Hit Hawaii at 4 PM EST (11:19 AM local time)










Chile Earthquake 8.8 (video)