터키 탄광폭발 - 사망자 200명 넘어, 수백명 아직도 갇혀

Published : May 14, 2014 - 08:50 Updated : May 14, 2014 - 13:32

(AP-Yonhap)

터키 서부도시 마니사의 탄광에서 13일(현지시간) 폭발사고가 발생해 이시각 현재 광부 201명이 숨지고 수백명이 탄광에 갇혔다.

이날 오후 3시 20분께 발생한 사고로 최소 200명 이상이 숨졌으며 수백명이 아직 탄광안에 있다고 정부관리들이 기자들에게 밝혔다.

재난대책본부는 대대적 구조작업을 진행해 이날 오후 10시까지 300명 이상 구조했으며 탄광안에 공기를 공급하고 있다고 덧붙였다.

이날 사고는 교대시간에 발생해 인명피해가 큰 것으로 추정하고 있다.

폭발 사고원인은 즉각 알려지지 않았지만, 이 사고로 전기가 끊기는 바람에 광부들이 갱도에 갇히게 된 것으로 알려졌다. (khnews@heraldcorp.com)

(AP-Yonhap)

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More than 201 killed in mine blast in Turkey

At least 201 people were killed and hundreds more remained trapped underground after an explosion at a coal mine in western Turkey, the government said Wednesday, warning that rescue efforts faced a race against time.

The toll has risen rapidly since Tuesday's disaster in the province of Manisa, when a total of 787 mineworkers became trapped inside the mine.

Rescue operations continued overnight for the hundreds of people still underground. Of those rescued alive, 80 were injured, four of them seriously, said Energy Minister Taner Yildiz.

"We fear the number could rise even further because those who came to help out may be among the injured and affected by the smoke," he told reporters.

"As the time passes, we are very quickly heading to an unfavourable outcome," he added.

Earlier a security source told AFP that there were pockets in the mine, one of which was open so rescuers were able to reach the workers, but the second was blocked with workers trapped inside.

The explosion was believed to have been triggered by a faulty electrical transformer at around 1230 GMT Tuesday.

Hundreds of people gathered around the explosion site as rescuers brought out injured workers, who were coughing and struggling to breathe due to the dust.

Sena Isbiler, a mother of one of the miners, stood on top of piles of wood, craning her neck to see who was being led out of the mine.

"I have been waiting for my son since early afternoon," she told AFP.

"I haven't heard anything about him yet."

Arum Unzar, a colleague of the missing miners said he had lost a friend previously "but this is enormous."

"All the victims are our friends," he said as he wept.

"We are a family and today that family is devastated. We have had very little news and when it does come it's very bad," he added. (AFP)