Mexican miner rescued alive after 13 days trapped underground in flooded mine

Francisco Zapata Najera was found alive on April 9, 2026, after spending 13 days trapped 300 meters underground in a Mexican gold and silver mine that flooded when a dam collapsed. The Mexican military conducted an extensive rescue operation to extract him from the flooded shaft, marking a successful outcome in an extremely dangerous situation. The rescue demonstrates both the hazards of mining in Mexico and the capabilities of coordinated emergency response. This incident highlights ongoing workplace safety concerns in Latin American mining operations and the human toll of infrastructure failures.