(MENAFN- The Peninsula) ISTANBUL: Hopes faded yesterday of finding alive 18 Turkish coal miners trapped when their shaft was engulfed by water, as rescue workers made last-ditch efforts to find survivors.
The accident in southern Turkey was the latest to hit the country's disaster-prone mining industry after 301 workers were killed in a coal mine explosion in May.
Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said divers had entered the flooded mine in the province of Karaman but visibility was poor and they were unable to go more than a few metres deep for their own safety.
"Every moment that goes by is bad for our (trapped) workers. Time is working against us. With every passing minute, our hopes are reduced," he said in comments broadcast by Turkish television.
He said an estimated 10-12 tonnes of water had filled the shaft at the privately-owned mine in the village of Pamuklu.
In a poignant development, Turkish media reported that the wife of one of the trapped miners, named as Huseyin Gultekin, had given birth to his baby son on Tuesday. The accident has cast a huge shadow over yesterday's Republic Day celebrations to mark the foundation of modern Turkey in 1923 out of the ruins of the Ottoman Empire.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would be travelling to the scene and would cancel a planned lavish reception for the holiday at his new presidential palace in Ankara. But he insisted there was still a chance of finding the miners alive. "Our expectations and our hopes have not been lost. Our friends and ministers are continuing to work and make efforts there," he said.
The 18 miners were believed to be trapped in a flooded shaft more than 1,000 feet underground. At least 34 workers were underground at the time of the accident on Tuesday but 16 escaped unscathed.
Rescue workers have been seeking to reduce the water levels by pumping out the water with a gigantic pipe. But the levels had continued to rise until finally starting to fall in the night.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.