- Title: TURKEY: At least 283 confirmed dead in Turkey mine disaster
- Date: 16th May 2014
- Summary: SOMA, TURKEY (MAY 15, 2014) (REUTERS) RESCUERS CARRYING DEAD BODY ONLOOKERS VARIOUS OF RESCUERS TAKING ON STRETCHER A COLLEGUE AFFECTED BY SMOKE AMBULANCE PARKED AT SITE AS RESCUERS WORKING RESCUERS WANDERING AROUND (NIGHT SHOTS) RESCUE SCENE ONLOOKERS RELATIVES WAITING RESCUERS CARRYING BODY TO AMBULANCE MEDICS ENTERING AMBULANCE MINERS AND RESCUERS WORKING AMBULANCE DRIVING PAST ENERGY MINISTER, TANER YILDIZ, ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) ENERGY MINISTER, TANER YILDIZ, SAYING: "Another body was retrieved. We surmise that this will continue. This is the impression we get from the rescue work at coal mine. We believe that tonight is extremely important for the normalisation process at mine. We believe that tonight is very important." YILDIZ TALKING TO REPORTERS
- Embargoed: 31st May 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Turkey
- Country: Turkey
- Topics: Disasters
- Reuters ID: LVAA58CHTY088EBAXWZPSJHKDMYL
- Story Text: At least 283 people were confirmed dead in Turkey's mining disaster on Thursday (May 17), as one more body was retrieved.
Rescuers were still trying to reach parts of the coal mine in Soma, 480 km (300 miles) southwest of Istanbul, more than 48 hours after fire knocked out power and shut down the ventilation shafts and elevators, trapping hundreds underground.
Most miners died from carbon monoxide poisoning, and hopes are fading of pulling out any more alive of the 100 or so still thought to be inside.
Energy minister Taner Yildiz said: "Another body was retrieved. We surmise that this will continue. This is the impression we get from the rescue work at coal mine. We believe that tonight is extremely important for the normalisation process at mine. We believe that tonight is very important."
The rescue operation was hampered overnight as the fire inside the mine continued, making it extremely hazardous for crews to retrieve bodies. Ventilation systems which pump fresh air into the mine were relocated to allow teams back inside.
The fire broke out during a shift change, leading to uncertainty over the exact number of miners trapped.
Turkey's safety record in coal mining has been poor for decades, with its previous worst accident in 1992, when a gas blast killed 263 workers in the Black Sea province of Zonguldak. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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