It was a somber morning on the show. Most of our first hour was dedicated to the devastating effects of Hurricane Dean hitting land in Mexico, the flooding in the Midwest of the U.S., and possibly the toughest news of all, the latest from Utah on the search for six trapped miners. At the show, we refer to the straight news segments as "hard news," compared with human-interest stories, entertainment segments, or other features. The story of the six trapped miners in Utah unfortunately adds additional meaning to the phrase "hard news."
The situation is somewhat bleak: six miners were trapped two weeks ago in a mine and there has been no sight or sound from them since. Rescue efforts have been dangerous with three rescue workers dying last week. Bob Murray, chief executive of Murray Energy Corp. that co-owns the mine, explained to the families that unless there is an indication that the miners are alive, no additional rescue workers will be sent into the mine.
Families of the miners are faced with a horrific reality as they try to come to terms with the worst-case scenario. Some family members have been speaking out to authorities, expressing their desire to have their loved ones back, dead or alive, so they can be at peace.
How much do the owners of the mine owe to the families of the trapped miners? When do you give up hope for a loved one without the closure of having his body recovered?