Weed, porn and political activism are just a few of the rumblings materialising from the infamous Chilean mining accident deep, which more or less hijacked the latter half of the 2010 news cycle. Information sharing was tightly controlled by Chilean authorities for the duration of the saga, but New York Times journalist Jonathan Franklin was one of the privileged few considered to be on a need to know basis.

He has written a book compiled from his memories from the front of the rescue operation and hours of interviews with the miners themselves.

And that book includes scandalous details of what actually went down while the 33 miners remained trapped underground for an incredible 69 days. The disaster drew a massive following worldwide and was one of the most talked about and watched rescue operations to take place last year.

According to Franklin, weed and pills were smuggled down the makeshift shaft in family letters. Dig this:

Miner Samuel Avalos said in the book that he grew suspicious of the actions of his colleagues while they were underground.

‘They were peeling away from the group in small cliques, wandering towards the bathroom, to smoke a joint. They never even offered me a toke,’ he said.

Pleas for blow-up dolls were refused by authorities because of concerns that they might provoke jealous possessiveness. The medic, Dr Jean Romagnoli said, “…33 [blow-up dolls] or none. Otherwise they would be fighting for inflatable dolls: whose turn is it? Who was seen with whose fiancée? You are flirting with my inflatable doll.”

The book should make an interesting read and is available in South Africa for about R200.

[Source: DailyMail]