Miners Rescued in New York
COSTELLO: All right a story with a great ending to tell you about right now. There was a mine rescue in central New York today, in New York state. Seventeen miners trapped underground for more than nine long hours. They were 900 feet underground, trapped in an elevator. Jean Casarez has been following this story.</s>COSTELLO: She has more now.</s>JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, as we were sleeping in our beds last night, this was going on. This was a ten hour rescue, they are saying at this point. They are all safe. But it started out very simply that they were just going to work down the mine shaft in an elevator. It took 15 agencies to come on board to try to help rescue them. We do understand from the Ithaca Fire Department that they -- that Auburn Crane and Rigging brought the basket, to just let you know how this rescue happened. It brought the miners to the surface. They are saying it was one of the most difficult rescues in recent memory. We want you let you listen to some sound from the mine manager of the Cayuga Salt Mine in Lansing, New York, Shawn Wilczynski. Let's listen to him.</s>SHAWN WILCZYNSKI, MINE MANAGER: At 10:00 last night we had 17 employees that started their journey under the -- to their work area via our typical elevator that they use every day. During that trip the elevator became stuck in the shaft. Again, at approximately the 900 foot level.</s>CASAREAZ: And the original 911 call said the cage is stuck. We need rescue for a rescue for a rope rescue on all of this. So Carol, the governor of the State of New York is calling on the Department of Emergency Management for a full investigation to see how this happened. But the mine itself is a salt mine, and they produce and distribute two million tons of salt a year to 1,500 entities around East Coast. So as you are driving and the salt is helping you stay safe, it's these miners that have helped get that salt on the roads.</s>COSTELLO: I just can't imagine going down 900 feet to do my job every day. So to me that's courage. Courage. Jean Casarez, thanks so much. Still to come in the NEWSROOM, dozens of sex assaults reported during a new year's eve celebration in a German city. The mayor's advice to the victims? Keep men at arm's length.