Wife refuses to leave rescue site without husband trapped in Soma mine

SOMA – Anadolu Agency

Energy Minister Taner Yıldız finally convinces Sema Korkmaz to cease her threeday wait at the mouth of Sema’s mine in the hopes of seeing the body of her husband, Mustafa Korkmaz. AA Photo

Energy Minister Taner Yıldız finally convinced a distraught woman to abandon her wait at the mouth of the Soma mine in the diminishing hopes of seeing her husband, trapped inside the facility, following the May 13 disaster.

Sema Korkmaz asked for help from Turkish leaders President Abdullah Gül, Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç and Yıldız when they visited the rescue site to help find her husband, Mustafa Korkmaz, who remains trapped beneath the ground.

“No one calls, no one asks and no one even gives any information about the fact,” said Korkmaz, prompting Yıldız to promise to share information with her.

“The fire has not completely been extinguished; we see the conveyor belt coming toward us. Of that conveyor belt, 250 meters were burned, and when it burns, the ceiling also burns,” Yıldız said.

Korkmaz, who has been waiting for three days, said she would not go until her husband comes, noting that she would have nothing to say to her step-son, Ali Berkay Korkmaz.

Although Yıldız gave promises to share information every hour, she said: “I can’t look at my son’s face. I will take his father and we will go to home together.”

The minister subsequently said they would find the miner if Korkmaz agreed to go home, prompting tears from two nearby rescue personnel.