<p><br /> The first of Chile's 33 trapped miners have been hoisted to safety in a capsule barely wider than a man's shoulders, cheering, punching the air and hugging their families after two months deep underground.<br /> </p><p><br /> "This is a miracle from God," said Alberto Avalos, the first rescued miner's elated uncle, who rushed to the rescue capsule as it arrived on the surface.<br /> </p><p><br /> The first miner was liberated around midnight (Chile time) and by the time dawn broke eight men had been liberated.<br /> </p><p><br /> Rescuers, relatives and friends broke into jubilant cheers as the miners, one by one, emerged from the mine. Florencio Avalos, a father of two, was the first to emerge to breathe his first fresh air in 69 days after a claustrophobic ascent of about half a mile.<br /> </p><p><br /> Hugged and kissed by relatives, the 31-year-old Avalos looked very healthy following a nearly 16-minute journey to safety. He was then embraced by President Sebastian Pinera as the surrounding crowd chanted "Chile! Viva Chile!"<br /> </p><p><br /> Next up was Mario Sepulveda, whose whoops of joy resounded on the surface even before he arrived to the laughs of waiting relatives. He stepped out of the capsule with a yellow bag, reached in and pulled out souvenir rocks from below, and slapped one in Pinera's hand.<br /> </p><p><br /> "I'm so happy!" Sepulveda yelled, grinning, punching his fist in the air and hugging everyone in sight. However, he also sounded a serious note.<br /> </p><p><br /> "I have been with God and I've been with the devil," he later said, calling for deep changes to protect workers rights.<br /> </p>
