EL PAÍS wins award for report on Mexico's Pinabete mine disaster

The National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) has honored EL PAÍS with its award for digital and print journalism. The recognition celebrates the newspaper's comprehensive reportage on the tragic accident at the El Pinabete coal mine in Coahuila, Mexico, which occurred in August 2022 and resulted in the deaths of 10 miners.

The award-winning piece, authored by Alejandro Santos Cid with photography by Mónica González Islas, is titled "El rescate imposible de los mineros del Pinabete: ‘Yo no sé por qué estoy vivo. Ahí nadie iba a vivir’" (The impossible rescue of the Pinabete miners: 'I don't know why I'm alive. Nobody was going to live there'). Published in EL PAÍS Mexico, the report reconstructs the tragedy through the voices of survivors, families, and rescuers involved in an unprecedented operation. It vividly recounts how five men survived in an air pocket, their dramatic escapes, and the lasting effects they endure.

Despite the extraordinary engineering feat involved in recovering the bodies of the deceased miners from depths exceeding 60 meters, the report underscores a significant lack of accountability. It highlights the families' claims regarding the Mexican government's responsibility, noting how the government later framed the rescue as a political success. The survivors reportedly received no compensation.

The NAHJ's Ñ Awards celebrate the best in Spanish-language journalism across the United States, covering various categories including print, digital, radio, television, audio, photography, data, multimedia, research, and civil rights. Founded in 1984, the NAHJ is a leading organization for Hispanic journalists, aiming to increase Latino representation in media and improve coverage of Hispanic communities. The awards were announced at the NAHJ's annual conference in New Orleans.

“

I don't know why I'm alive. Nobody was going to live there.