Namco welcomes back Chilean miners with Mr. Driller image, apologizes

Namco Bandai wasn't exempt from the celebration that spread across the globe earlier this week when rescue workers retrieved 33 miners who had been trapped in a Chilean mine since early August. During the exhaustive rescue operation, the publisher Tweeted the image seen above, featuring its own mining mascot, Mr. Driller, as well as a Chilean flag and the message "Bienvenido de nuevo," or "welcome back!"

Apparently, the image rubbed some people the wrong way, as Namco Bandai has since pulled it from the company's Twitter account. In a statement Tweeted earlier today, the publisher said, "we would like to offer a profound apology to everyone. It was inexcusable." We're not so sure, Namco Bandai -- we think we could find it in our hearts to excuse you for joining in the global celebration with a lighthearted, context-appropriate greeting card.