‘Hang in there!’, Chilean miner tells Thai boys

FILE PHOTO: Rescued Chilean miner Mario Sepulveda speaks to the media after being awarded bicentenary honor medals during an official ceremony at the Chilean congress in Valparaiso city, about 121 km (75 miles) northwest of Santiago, October 26, 2010. REUTERS/Eliseo Fernandez/File Photo

Mexico City: Mario Sepulveda (pic), one of the Chilean miners who was trapped underground for 69 days in 2010, had a moving message of encouragement for the boys’ football team trapped in a cave in Thailand: “Hang in there!”

In a video message sent to AFP, Sepulveda – known as “Super Mario” for helping keep his comrades’ spirits up during their ordeal – said his thoughts were with the 12 boys and their coach, so much so that he is trying to organise a trip to Thailand to help.