Wreckage in Copper Mine in Şirvan

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A landslide occurred in the copper mine site in Maden village of Şirvan district of Siirt province yesterday (November 17) at 8.30 p.m. Two mine workers who were trapped in the wreckage have lost their lives. The search and rescue teams are trying to free the other 13 miners from the wreckage.

Acquaintances of the mine workers are around the mine site to receive any news from the mine workers.

Siirt Governor stated that the dead bodies of the mine workers were released from the wreckage and the search and rescue works continued for the other 13 mine workers.

The names of the 16 mine workers 

Doğan News Agency reported that 16 mine workers were trapped under the wreckage four of whom had lost their lives. Their names, positions and home towns are as follows;

1- Savaş Kızılkan: Excavator Operator (Diyarbakır)

2- Kerem Arat: Excavator Operator (Şirvan district Derinçay village)

3- Murat Ant: Excavator Operator (Şirvan distrcit Madenköy)

4- İbrahim Kılınç: Excavator Operator (Siirt)

5- Kasim Tari: Excavator Operator (Diyarbakır)

6- Şefik Tuncer: Excavator Operator (Batman)

7- Sedat Bulut: Rok operatörü (Şirvan district Otluk village)

8- Abdurrahman Sönmezsoy: Rok operator (Batman)

9- Reşit Can: Truck Driver, (Siirt Yağmurtepe village)

10- Halil Başer: Truck Driver (Siirt Kurtalan district)

11- Mahmut Batumak: Truck Driver (Şirvan district Taşkaya village)

12- Bedrettin Caylı: Truck Driver (Şirvan district Yatağan village)

13- Nusret Beyazalma: Truck Driver (Van Edremit)

14- Yavuz Yıldız: Truck Driver (Şirvan district)

15- İsmail Tekin: Truck Driver (Siirt Eruh district)

16- Abdulbaki Aydın: Truck Driver (Siirt Eruh district)

Fırat News Agency (ANF) have reported that three construction vehicles as well as eight trucks were trapped under the wreckage.

Governorship claims "excessive precipitation"

The governorship in its statement alleged that the "landslide occurred due to the excessive precipitations".

Statement from the mining company

Adana Bar Association in its statement has declared that the landslide occurred during the construction works carried out by Antlar Constructions; a sub-contractor company of Park Elektrik associated with Ciner Group.

Park Elektrik as to the incident stated that a landslide had occurred due to excessive precipitations and a crisis management desk was established and added that the landslide risk in the area still continued.

According to the information on the website of Park Elektrik, the mine was started to be operated by General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration in 1969 and was handed over to the company in 2004.

In the same area, a landslide had occurred on July 25, six trucks and two construction vehicles were buried in the wreckage.

Landslide continues

The mine workers were working in teams of 15 people. After the authorities were informed about the landslide, ambulances and rescue teams from Siirt province, Şirvan district as well as Diyarbakır were dispatched to the area.

As the landslide in the region continues from time to time, the rescue works come to a halt sometimes.

The Governorship in its statement has announced that the landslide continued.
* Photographs: Zekeriya Güneş / Anadolu Agency (AA)