Peru president: Rescuers nearing miners LIMA, April 11 (UPI) -- Nine miners trapped in a Peruvian gold and copper mine since last week could be freed Wednesday, President Ollanta Humala said. Humala, at the mine site near Yauca del Rosario, said he spoke with most of the miners trapped since Thursday, saying they were in good spirits, the state news agency Andina reported. "I've spoken to the miners," Humala said. The mood is quite optimistic. The rescue operation was moving cautiously so crews wouldn't dislodge rocks and possibly trigger a landslide, the president said. Humala spoke to the miners through a special tube that brings them food, water and oxygen, as well as allowing them to communicate with people above-ground. The miners have been trapped since a cave-in Thursday inside the wildcat mine in southern Peru. A second cave-in during the weekend slowed rescue efforts. It was unclear what caused the initial collapse. The rescue effort is complicated work that is incorporating measures to avoid putting rescuers at risk, said Cesar Chonate, a regional head of Peru's civil defense agency. Government officials also appealed to area mining companies for their expertise.