Search efforts remain suspended at landslide-hit Erzincan mine

ERZİNCAN

The search for nine workers buried under the soil at the gold mine in the eastern province of Erzincan's İliç district will remain suspended due to the risk of a second landslide, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has announced.

Yerlikaya, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Mehmet Özhaseki, Labor and Social Security Minister Vedat Işıkhan and Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı, made a press statement at the mine site.

Due to the ongoing risk of another landslide in the area, search efforts were suspended late on Feb. 19

"Search and rescue activities will resume under the coordination of the country's Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency [AFAD] as soon as the relevant ministries say 'you can work safely,'” he stated.

Özhaseki said that samples taken from nine different points were found to be clean and that investigations against the danger of cyanide in the region are ongoing.

Bayraktar noted the issue is being investigated and that the number of detentions for negligence that led to the landslide may increase.

"Currently, judicial proceedings are ongoing against nine people, six of whom are under arrest and three of whom are released on judicial control conditions," Bayraktar said, adding, "This process continues with great diligence. Mining activities have been stopped. Our main focus is on the displacement and storage of masses of soil that slid in the disaster."

Yumaklı underlined that from the first moment of the disaster, State Hydraulic Works executives created an emergency action plan.

Providing information regarding ongoing efforts, Yumaklı said that the construction of the embankment was started to prevent surface waters from flowing into the dam.

Işıkhan said that the inspectors' work on the incident is ongoing.

"Whoever is negligent here will be held accountable before the law," he said.