BBC News with Joe Macintosh

The operation to rescue the 33 miners trapped deep underground in Chile is expected to start within hours. The men have survived about 700 metres below ground for more than two months. Gideon Long reports.

Sources have told the BBC that the first man out of the ground would be Florencio Avalos, one of the most experienced of the group. His brother and brother-in-law are also trapped in the mine. He will be followed by Mario Sepulveda and then Bolivian miner, Carlos Mamani, the only non-Chilean in the group. Rescuers say it will take around an hour to get each man out. For between 10 and 20 minutes of that time, they'll be inside the escape capsule being pulled up through the 620-metre long tunnel. They'll have oxygen and intercom system so they can talk to the rescuers. The Chilean President, Sebastian Pinera, is at the mine to witness the start of the operation.