MANISA — Aid poured in to rescue trapped miners starting Tuesday afternoon when the news broke. Workers in other mines in Soma and nearby towns were among the first responders. The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), the Turkish Red Crescent and the Ministry of Health National Medical Rescue Team (UMKE) dispatched crews to the mine. A team of 16 rescue workers from the Turkish Hard Coal Enterprises (TTK), a state-run coal mining company, was also sent to the site. The TTK crew based in the northern province of Zonguldak is experienced in search and rescue work in mine accidents, which are relatively common in the country's mine hub, Zonguldak.
Survivors of the accident emerged from the mine on stretchers amid the applause of rescue workers on Tuesday night, but an air of resignation loomed in the following hours when only corpses started to be recovered from the mine with no sign of survivors.
Not all rescue workers are able to advance through the narrow galleries of the mine in the face of toxic fumes. Only a handful of professional crews equipped with oxygen tubes and other equipment are able to retrieve survivors or bodies that are loaded onto conveyors heading to the surface. Miners with intense knowledge of the site are able to locate the places where trapped miners have been working, but dense fumes prevent them from going further.
Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey,
it’s region and the world.
You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.