FedEx Express has transported one of the rescue capsules that saved the lives of 33 Chileanminers last year from Ottawa, Canada, to Cologne Bonn Airport in Germany as part of the worldwide
exhibition tour to remember the heroic rescue mission.The “Fénix” rescue capsule, which is nearly 4.5 metres long and less than 90 cm wide, was usedin the historic rescue of the Chilean miners who were trapped 700 metres underground for nearly tenweeks last year.
The Chilean copper association CODELCO and the Chilean Ministry of Mining selected FedEx Expressas the official transporter of the capsule.
From Cologne Bonn Airport, the rescue capsule was shipped to the German Mining Museum in Bochumto be displayed there as part of the special exhibition called “Treasures of the Andes – Chileancopper for the world”, a joint project of the Mining Museum and the Chliean Embassy.
Bernhard Schloemer, Managing Director Operations, FedEx Express, Central and Eastern Europe,commented: “We are proud to have been selected for the transport of this impressive rescue capsule.In doing so, we are helping to make this piece of history accessible to people all over the world.With our trusted global network in place, we will ensure that in one month the capsule safelyreturns from Germany to Washington D.C.”
Jorge O’Ryan Schütz, the Chilean ambassador in Berlin, said: “The rescue of the miners throughthe use of these capsules brought tremendous relief to the Chilean people and our PresidentSebastian Piñera. It wasn’t just miners from around the world who showed solidarity with thosetrapped, people from every nation expressed their sympathy and concern for the miners and theirfamilies.”
The Fénix capsule is just one of the unusual shipments FedEx has recently shipped. Last summer,the company transported 25,000 sea turtle eggs from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic coast inFlorida. Seven whales and four dolphins were also recently transported. As part of internationalMother’s Day, FedEx delivered over 150,000 bouquets to mothers around the world like everyyear.
