Quotes like this raise one troubling question to my mind: what does it say about God in the vast majority of mine accidents where no one comes out alive?

The same can be said of all disasters where certain people survive and others don’t. We can’t truly know the mind of God and why he chooses to pick some flowers and not others.

A valid question, Kenneth … but God is present, bidden or not, in all circumstances, whether we are aware of Him or not. One of the great blessings for the miners, it seems to me, was their ability to “practice the presence of God,” and dwell in that presence during their ordeal.
Dcn. G.

The only place that God won’t be found is hell. And after His death, “He descended into Hell”, so even hell is not barred to Him.
No, those who die in the mines (or anywhere else) die with Jesus’ arms around them.

More than 1 good quote from the miners, I’d say…
“Nunca perdí la fe” (I never lost the faith.) – Mario Gómez who knelt on exit. The oldest miner and one with health problems.
“Estuve con Dios y con el diablo y me he peleado. Me ganó Dios, me agarré de la mejor mano, y en ningún momento titubeé de que Dios me iba a sacar”. (I was with God and with the devil and they fought [with me]. God won me and I held on with the best hand, and in no moment did I falter [in believing] that God was going to take me out.)
- Mario Sepúlveda
On the front of the miner’s shirts: ¡Gracias Señor! (Thank you Lord!)
On the back of the miner’s shirts:
“En sus manos están las simas de la tierra, y suyas son las crestas de los montes” (Salmo 95,4)
“In his hand are the depth of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also.” (Psalm 95:4)

Does God answer prayer? Some, but not all? Sometimes, but not all the time? Or does God always answer prayer and it’s just that sometimes God says no. Could prayer be bigger than God listening and answering? Maybe we need a fresh perspective on how we approach the things in life that compel us to pray.

Whatever gets them through the experience…
God isn’t real, but if people need something to hold onto, then what the hell?