At Least 40 Dead in Turkey Mine Accident... Methane Gas Explosion Suspected

Rescue operations continue for the second day... 12 people still trapped underground
President Erdogan: "We will make every effort for the rescue"

On the 15th (local time), an explosion occurred at a coal mine in Amasra, northern Turkey, resulting in at least 40 deaths. President Erdogan stated, "We will make every effort in the rescue operation." Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Sung-wook] An explosion occurred at a coal mine in Amasra, northern T?rkiye, resulting in at least 40 deaths. The cause of the accident is presumed to be a methane gas explosion.

According to AFP and other sources on the 15th (local time), the accident happened while 110 workers were working. Initially, 14 deaths were reported, but as the number of injured and fatalities at the rescue site increased, it is now known that at least 40 people have died and 58 have survived.

Turkish authorities stated that about 70 rescue workers have been conducting rescue operations for two days, with 58 people safely escaping the site and 11 seriously injured receiving treatment in hospitals. It is also understood that 12 people are still trapped underground.

The accident occurred around 6:46 PM the previous day in a mine tunnel 300 to 350 meters deep in the Amasra region along the Black Sea coast. T?rkiye's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) reported that a fire caused by flammable methane gas in the mine led to the explosion. However, the exact cause of ignition is still under investigation. The Turkish Mine Workers' Union explained that the explosion was caused by the accumulation of methane gas.

President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an canceled all his schedules and headed to the accident site. In a statement, President Erdo?an said, "We will make every effort for the rescue," and added, "We hope that the loss of life will not increase further and that the miners trapped in the mine will be rescued."

The local prosecution has classified this incident as an accident and has launched a formal investigation. Meanwhile, in T?rkiye, a similar disaster occurred in 2014 when an explosion at a coal mine in Soma, western T?rkiye, resulted in the deaths of 301 workers.