Seventeen Days Later, a Drill Bit Came Back Up With a Note

On August 22, the eighth borehole broke through 688 meters down, close to the refuge. For days the men had heard the drills coming and had written notes. They taped them to the bit and tapped on it, and the taps were heard at the surface. When the bit came back up, one message read: "We are well in the Refuge — the 33." Their food had only just run out. Each man had lost about 8 kilograms.