At least four dead, 12 trapped in copper mine in southeast Turkey

The bodies of four workers were found and an extensive search to find 12 others was ongoing after a massive landslide occurred at a copper mine in the Şirvan district of the southeastern province of Siirt late on Nov. 17. 

A team of 90 rescue workers was working to find the 12 miners trapped underground at the large field owned by the private company Park Elektrik A.Ş., following heavy rain in the region. 

CNN Türk reported that one of the trapped workers, identified as Halil Başer, had called one of his relatives through a video call at around 13.00 while he was waiting to be rescued under the wreckage. Başer reportedly made the call during which only dark background of the spot where he was trapped was visible, and minutes later the call was dropped.

Rescue work was carried out by Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) teams dispatched to the area from Siirt, Batman Bitlis, Diyarbakır, Van and Erzurum provinces, as well as rescue teams from the Health Ministry, the Turkish Red Crescent, the gendarmerie forces and the mining company. 

Two helicopters and a plane were also provided by the Turkish Armed Forces, while drones were used to guide the operation. 

AFAD Deputy Chair Mehmet Halis Bilden, speaking at the scene, told reporters that 18 vehicles and three rescue dogs were being used to find the places where workers might be trapped. 

AFAD also noted that it had dispatched a "mobile coordination center" to the scene to coordinate the rescue work, and all corresponding ministries had contributed to the operations. 

The Energy Ministry was tasked to lighten the area, the Communication Ministry was tasked to set up a wireless tower, the Interior Ministry was tasked to provide general security...