Baku, Azerbaijan, May 16
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
The number of the mine accident victims in the Manisa province may reach 300 people, Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz said, TRT Haber channel reported on May 16.
"Currently, some 18 people remain under the rubble," he said.
"The government's priority is to rescue the miners who remain under the rubble," he said.
The minister stressed that the rescue operation is expected to complete in the near future.
The death toll as a result of the mine accident in Turkey on May 13 has increased to 284.
"The rescue operations are underway, however, few chances remain to rescue the miners, Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources," Taner Yildiz said earlier.
Turkey has announced a three day mourning period for victims of the mining accident.
In total, there are 740 coal mines and 48,706 miners in Turkey.
Over 3,000 people have been killed and over 100,000 have received various injuries since 1941 to the present day in the mine accidents in Turkey.
Some 10.4 percent of the total number of the work accidents occurs at mines in Turkey.
In the first four months of 2014, some 1,235 people were killed as a result of the work accidents in Turkey, 103 of them were female.
The previous worst mine accident in Turkey's history occurred in the province of Zonguldak in 1992, killing 263 workers.
edited by CN