The death toll in Turkey’s worst ever mining disaster rose to 301 on Saturday as a new fire hampered rescue attempts, AFP cited the energy minister saying on May 17th.
Taner Yildiz told reporters that three miners were still thought to be underground based on families’ testimonies while 485 miners have either escaped or been rescued since Tuesday’s mine blast and fire in the western town of Soma.
A new fire broke out Saturday in another section of the mine, about 250 metre (820 feet) away from where the miners are trapped, creating further difficulties for rescue teams, Yildiz added.