Luis Urzúa, whose calm leadership guided his colleagues through their darkest hours, became the last of the 33 trapped Chilean miners to be freed early this morning, rising to the surface of the Atacama desert as the epic, 22-hour rescue operation drew to a close.
The 54-year-old foreman ascended smoothly through nearly 700m (2,260ft) of rock in the Fenix 2 rescue capsule to tell the Chilean president, Sebastían Piñera, and a crowd of 2,000 jubilant onlookers: "We have done what the entire world was waiting for. The 70 days that we fought so hard were not in vain. We had strength, we had spirit, we wanted to fight, we wanted to fight for our families, and that was the greatest thing."
The quick and flawlessly executed rescue operation exceeded expectations at every step. Officials first said it might be four months before they could get the men out; it turned out to be 69 days and about eight hours.
Once the escape tunnel was finished, they estimated it would take 36 to 48 hours to get all the miners to the surface. That picked up speed as the operation went along, and all the miners were safely above ground in 22 hours, 37 minutes.
Manuel González, the last of six rescue workers who talked the men through the final hours, was hoisted to the surface at 12:32 am Thursday local time (4.32am UK time) to hugs from his comrades and Piñera.
The crowd in Camp Hope, down the hill from the escape shaft, tossed off confetti, released balloons and sprayed champagne as Urzúa's capsule surfaced, joining in a rousing miners' cheer.
In nearby Copiapó, about 3,000 people gathered in the town square, where a huge screen broadcast live footage of the rescue. The exuberant crowd waved Chilean flags of all sizes and blew on red vuvuzelas as cars drove around the plaza honking their horns, their drivers yelling, "Viva Chile!".
And in the Chilean capital, Santiago, hundreds gathered in Plaza Italia, waving flags and chanting victory slogans in the miners' honour.
Piñera told Urzúa that he had become an inspiration to all Chileans. "You are not the same, and the country is not the same after this," he said, adding: "Go hug your wife and your daughter."
The president later tweeted: "We've lived through a magical day of deep emotion and overflowing joy that we will never forget."
The Chilean mining minister also took to Twitter to reflect on events. "The last rescuer is out," wrote Laurence Golborne. "Now we can say it: the rescue team, together with the country, rescued our 33 miners in 70 days. We did it!"
The US president, Barack Obama, meanwhile, said the rescue had "inspired the world".
Although the rescue operation — estimated to have cost at least $22m — has ended, the miners' ordeal is far from over.
The men are all recovering and undergoing exhaustive tests in Copiapó hospital. But the psychological consequences of their experience could prove harder to diagnose.
The health minister, Jaime Mañalich, said some of the miners could be discharged later today — 48 hours earlier than had been expected — but said many were anxious, had been unable to sleep, and wanted to talk to their families. One of the miners was treated for pneumonia, and two needed dental work. Mañalich is due to give a statement on their condition later today.
As the miners recover, further questions are likely be asked about conditions in the Chilean mining industry, which provides 40% of state earnings. Piñera has ordered an overhaul of safety regulations in the wake of the accident.
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