Death toll due to coal mine blast in northern Türkiye rises to 40

By Gozde Bayar

ANKARA (AA) – The number of workers who were killed in a blast at a coal mine in northern Türkiye increased to 40, according to the Turkish interior minister on Saturday.

Suleyman Soylu said 11 wounded workers are under treatment in hospitals.

“One of our injured has been discharged," Soylu told reporters in the Amasra district of Bartin province, where dozens of miners have been trapped underground since around 6.15 p.m. local time (1515GMT) on Friday.

Noting that 58 of 110 miners were rescued, he said there is uncertainty about one of the miners, adding that while search and rescue efforts are currently underway.

Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Fatih Donmez said the fire that broke out in a gallery after the mine blast is largely under control.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is closely monitoring the situation, the Turkish Presidency wrote on Twitter.

He canceled a planned trip to eastern Diyarbakir province and will instead travel Saturday to Amasra.

Erdogan said in a tweet that search and rescue operations are progressing “rapidly” at the mine.