Aborted rescue of miner raises questions

RENO, Nev. - A worker plunges deep into an abandoned mine shaft. Nearly 200 feet down, video images show he is injured but still breathing, trapped by debris.

The century-old shaft, though, is extremely unstable, its walls crumbling. As a rescuer tries to descend, he is hit by a large rock that splits his hard hat. Other efforts yield more falling rocks and clear evidence: the mission is, maybe, too dangerous.

The scenario unfolded last week, when rescue teams were told to stand down in their bid to reach Devin Westenskow, 28, a father of five, even as they had evidence he was still alive.

The ethical questions are more universal: How do you balance the desire to save a human being in peril with the equally important priority of keeping emergency workers alive? "You're playing God in a sense," said Rob McGee, secretary-treasurer of the U.S. Mine Rescue Association.

McGee said he can't recall a rescue operation that was halted while someone was still alive. But, he noted, a rescue gone awry compounds tragedy. Only officials on the ground can know how best to proceed, he said.

"Whoever made the call in Nevada, I'm sure they're hearing it from both ends because there's always someone who's saying, 'No, don't give up,' " McGee said.

Family members of Westenskow praised rescuers for their efforts, saying they understood when told early Friday of the decision to end the rescue effort.

"It was extremely difficult for all of those involved with the rescue attempt. We all sat there in shock and disbelief trying to process the terrible news," said the statement issued yesterday by Ronald Schrempp, an uncle of the victim's mother.

Newspaper readers and others online reacted with a mix of comments that included the opinion that no one should be abandoned in such a situation.

"There are no rules for mine rescues," said J. Davitt McAteer, former director of the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration. "Each situation is different and each mine-rescue decision has to be made by people on the ground," he said.