Last week our Hot Topic concerned the aborted attempt to rescue a driller who fell down an abandoned mine shaft in Nevada. Even though rescuers had reason to believe the man was still alive, they called off their efforts due to hazardous ground conditions in the shaft.
Jurgen Brune, a mining engineer from Spokane, WA, wrote, "I believe your are asking the audience of your website an unfair question. Only those immediately involved with managing the incident at the site can make that call and should be justified in doing so. All others who do not have first-hand knowledge of and involvement with the situation should not pass judgment. This is a similar scenario to rescuing a person from a burning building, a chemical spill, radiation accident, etc. If rescuers cannot perform the rescue with reasonable assurances of safety and a minimal, acceptable risk for their own lives, they simply cannot go in."
He is absolutely correct.
Another reader from cyber space mused, "It crosses my mind that in a case like this where a driller has fallen into a shaft in Nevada (which along with many US states practices the death penalty) it's possible that there would be a long line of death row inmates who would jump at the chance to participate in a rescue attempt despite improbable odds, if for nothing else than to leave a positive memory with their family they will inevitably leave behind."
That's an interesting thought, but I doubt there are many death row inmates with mine rescue skills.
And yet another reader weighed in: "It is a tragedy that this man cannot be rescued, but the basic and first rule of mine rescue is the safety of the rescue team first. No mine rescue team member would like to leave anyone behind, but through their training they realize this. They would look for alternative ways but ultimately no one else can be hurt in this rescue. My question is how did this worker fall into this area and prevention of any future incidents."
The majority of CMJ readers who voted on the website Hot Topic poll agreed. Those voting "no" to continuing such an exercise outnumber the "yes" voters almost two to one.
Thanks to all our readers who weighed in on the ethical dilemma.
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