UPDATE – At least 2 killed, 20 injured in northern Türkiye mine blast

UPDATES WITH CASUALTY FIGURES; REVISES HEADLINE, DECK, INTRO; EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Zehra Nur Duz

ANKARA (AA) – At least two miners have been killed and 20 injured in a blast at a coal mine in northern Türkiye on Friday.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca confirmed the casualties in a tweet, adding that nearly 150 personnel are engaged in search and rescue operations at the mine in Amasra, a district in the Black Sea province of Bartin.

Dozens of miners are believed to be trapped underground since around 6:15 p.m. local time (1515GMT).

Bartin Governor Nurtac Arslan earlier said 14 miners had been pulled out and at least 49 were trapped, but authorities are yet to release an updated figure.

The source of the explosion, which occurred at a depth of 300 meters (985 feet), is still unknown, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said, retracting an earlier statement that said it was caused by a transformer.

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

On his instructions, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, Energy Minister Fatih Donmez, and Social Security Minister Vedat Bilgin are at the site to monitor rescue operations, it added.