Vice President of the Dominican Republic Raquel Peña greeted August 6 the trained personnel sent by the Canadian government, who arrived with the equipment for the rescue of the two miners trapped for a week in the underground mine of Corporación Minera Dominicana (CORMIDOM), in the Cerro de Maimón.
“A few days ago, the Dominican government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our Embassy in Ottawa, requested the collaboration of the Canadian government, given the vast experience of that country in the mining sector and the ties of friendship and cooperation that unite our peoples. The government of Canada immediately responded affirmatively to our call, mobilizing resources,” Peña said.
The vice president, accompanied by Minister of Energy and Mines Antonio Almonte, thanked the Canadian government and its Embassy in the Dominican Republic, represented by Consul and First Secretary Maxime Bellemara; the CORMIDOM team, represented by Vice President Elizabeth Mena; the Dominican diplomatic team of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Embassy in Ottawa for their support in coordinating the arrival of the equipment.
Dominican President Luis Abinader, together with Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez and Dominican Ambassador to Canada Michelle Cohen, made the request for help so that the miners could be rescued as safely and quickly as possible.
The Boeing C-17 Globemaster aircraft arrived at the Dr. José Francisco Peña Gómez Las Americas International Airport with more than 52,000 pounds of equipment, including a Cubex track mounted drill Model 6200, which weighs more than 25,000 pounds, and an R-110 Cubra Booster.
Canada’s assistance to the Dominican Republic for the rescue of miners Gregory Alexander Méndez Torres and Carlos Yépez Ospina was executed in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense, the Canadian Armed Forces and their counterparts in the Dominican Republic.
