President Recep Tayyip Erdogan canceled a planned visit to the southeastern city of Diyarbakir and instead stated he would travel to Amasra to personally coordinate the rescue mission.
A coal mine explosion in Turkey has killed at least 40 people, with many more still trapped within.
The explosion occurred around 6:45 p.m. on Friday at the state-owned TTK Amasra Muessese Mudurlugu mine in the town of Amasra, with rescue workers working through the night to bring trapped workers to the surface.
There were approximately 110 people in the mine at the time of the explosion, which the country’s energy minister stated was caused by firedamp – a reference to the presence of flammable gases at the site.
According to the authorities, seventeen individuals have been injured, including eight in intensive care.
The DHA news agency said that one worker made his way out of the mine and mentioned feeling “pressure” but being unable to see anything owing to the dust and grime.
Suleyman Soylu, the minister of the interior, stated that the majority of the workers were able to leave following the explosion, but 49 were trapped in a high-risk sector of the complex.
Mr. Soylu stated, “We are confronted with a picture that we deeply regret and regret having to share with the world.
Several rescue teams, including those from neighboring provinces, have been despatched to the area, according to Turkey’s disaster management agency, AFAD.
Relatives and friends of mine workers have also congregated outside the facility in anticipation of news about their loved ones.
President cancels trip in response to mine incident.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan canceled a planned visit to the southeastern city of Diyarbakir and instead stated he would travel to Amasra to personally coordinate the rescue mission.
He stated that three prosecutors were investigating the event.
Mr. Erdogan stated in a statement, “We hope that the loss of life does not escalate further and that our miners be saved.”
All of our efforts are concentrated in this area.
In the biggest mining catastrophe in Turkish history, 301 people perished near a fire at a coal mine in the western town of Soma in 2014.
