Erdogan: 'the enormity of this accident has hurt us deeply'
SOMA, Turkey – Two hundred and thirty eight miners are confirmed dead and 80 injured in the western Turkey coal mine accident while about 120 miners are still trapped in the mine said Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a press conference after a visit to the mine on Wednesday.
Efforts to rescue the trapped miners continue unabatted with all possible means at the state's disposal, said Erdogan.
“No negligence in rescue operations will be tolerated and no one will be permitted to exploit the situation,” he added.
“Unfortunately these kind of mining accidents inevitably take place everywhere in the world. However, the enormity of this accident has hurt us deeply," said Erdogan.
Erdogan warned that the figures provided by the government officials must be trusted only and not the figures from "opportunists".
Administrative and legal investigations into the accident have been started by local government officials, added Erdogan.
He also said on Wednesday 120 workers were believed to remain trapped there.
"We are not a hundred percent sure but an estimated number of 120 workers are believed to be trapped according to figures provided by the (coal mining) company," Erdogan told reporters.
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