Chilean miner's note of hope copyrighted

SANTIAGO, Chile, Oct. 22 (UPI) -- The message that told the world 33 trapped miners were alive and well has been copyrighted for the man who wrote it, a Chilean writer said.

Jose Ojeda scribbled the note "Estamos bien en el refugio los 33" ("We are OK in the refuge, the 33 of us"), which was found attached to a probe Aug. 22, 17 days after the collapse of the San Jose mine, the BBC reported.

Chileans put his words on flags, mugs and T-shirts during the rescue operation this month.

All the miners, trapped underground for more than two months, were saved.

Chilean writer Pablo Huneeus registered the phrase on Ojeda's behalf, saying he wanted to ensure that nobody misused it.

"This phrase is a work of art," he said, "and one couldn't choose better words. Using the brain is a way of making money."

Huneeus told The Times of London he was moved to act after Chilean President Sebastian Pinera handed out copies of the message to Queen Elizabeth and Prime Minister David Cameron during a tour of Europe.

"I thought, 'That's just too much'," Huneeus said. "According to our law, copyright for a creation, invention, song, a piece of art, belongs to the author."