Chilean miners to launch souvenir range

Fair enough really. The 33 miners who were stuck in the Chilean mine for 69 days in 2010, are to launch branded memorabilia.

The range, called 'Miracle 33' will be sold in Chilean airports with proceeds going to the miners.

"We'll make all kinds of products like mugs, sweatshirts, t-shirts and medals, so that tourists remember us," the first miner to write a message confirming his team was alive in the reservoir, Jose Ojeda, told Chilean newspaper El Mercurio.

The miners said they registered their trademark after memorable names such as "The Atacama 33" and "Operation San Lorenzo" had already been registered by others.

August 5 will mark the second anniversary of when the walls caved-in and left the miners trapped at their work site in San Jose, in the Atacama Desert.

Chilean billionaire Leonardo Farkas gave each of the miners a gift of $10,000 (£6,350) after the rescue but 14 of them are receiving a state pension and many are struggling for money and suffer flashbacks.

Image: Rex