Death toll rises to 41 in Turkey coal mine explosion - The Associated Press

AMASRA, Turkey (AP) — Funerals for miners killed successful a ember excavation detonation successful bluish Turkey began Saturday arsenic officials raised the decease toll to astatine slightest 41 people.

Desperate relatives had waited each nighttime successful the acold extracurricular the state-owned Turkish Hard Coal Enterprise’s (TTK) excavation successful the municipality of Amasra, successful the Black Sea coastal state of Bartin, hoping for news. There were 110 miners moving respective 100 meters beneath crushed astatine the clip of the detonation connected Friday evening.

Their hold turned to devastation by Saturday noon. Women cried astatine the ceremonial of miner Selcuk Ayvaz, whose coffin was wrapped successful the reddish and achromatic Turkish flag. Another miner, 28-year-old Aziz Kose, held his newborn babe conscionable days ago. They mostly came from working-class families and went underground to the ember mines to marque a living.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived astatine the country and said the assemblage of 1 missing miner had yet been reached, confirming 41 were dead. Erdogan was flanked by officials, miners and rescuers, arsenic helium vowed to bring an extremity to mining disasters, portion saying helium believes successful “fate.”

“We don’t privation to spot deficiencies oregon unnecessary risks,” Erdogan said, and added that an probe would uncover if anyone is liable for the blast. He past joined ceremonial prayers for Rahman Ozcelik, 22, astatine a colony wherever Turkish media said 3 different miners were besides being mourned.

Eleven were injured and hospitalized, with 5 successful superior condition, portion 58 others managed to get retired of the excavation connected their ain oregon were rescued unharmed.

Energy Minister Fatih Donmez said rescue efforts were complete. Earlier, helium had said that a occurrence was burning successful an country wherever much than a twelve miners had been trapped.

Preliminary assessments indicated that the detonation was apt caused by firedamp, which is simply a notation to flammable gases recovered successful ember mines, Donmez said overnight. Three prosecutors were investigating the blast.

A miner who works the time displacement said helium saw the quality and hurried to the tract to assistance with the rescue.

“We saw a frightful scene, it cannot beryllium described, it’s precise sad,” said Celal Kara, 40. “They’re each my friends ... they each had dreams,” Kara, who has been a miner for 14 years, told The Associated Press aft exiting the mine, his look covered successful soot.

Ambulances were connected standby astatine the site. Rescue teams were dispatched to the area, including from neighboring provinces, Turkey’s catastrophe absorption agency, AFAD, said. Dark fume roseate from the entranceway of the mine, which is surrounded by forests.

A mining technician from TTK told broadcaster NTV that his squad of rescue and occupational information unit arrived astatine the tract Friday night. Ismail Cetin said they went down into the excavation and walked astir 2½ kilometers (1½ miles) with their kit and stretchers. They recovered 9 bodies, whom helium called “mine martyrs.”

Countries crossed the satellite offered their condolences to Turkey. Greece’s premier curate offered rescue assistance adjacent though relations betwixt the 2 neighbors person precocious been peculiarly tense.

Separately, Turkish constabulary said successful a connection that ineligible enactment would beryllium taken against 12 radical who allegedly shared provocative contented astir the excavation detonation to incite hatred connected societal media.

Turkey’s worst excavation catastrophe was successful 2014, erstwhile 301 miners died aft a occurrence erupted wrong a ember excavation successful the municipality of Soma, successful the westbound of the country. Five months later, 18 miners were killed successful cardinal Karaman state aft a flood successful a ember mine.

The caput of DISK, a left-wing commercialized union, said successful a connection they were “sad and angry” due to the fact that deaths were preventable and the union’s information suggestions were overlooked. Even though much inspections were mandated aft the Soma tragedy, DISK’s person Arzu Cerkezoglu claimed immoderate precautions were ignored for profitability, calling Friday’s detonation a “massacre.”

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Zeynep Bilginsoy reported from Istanbul.