6 arrested over copper mine collapse in Turkey

By Selman Tur and Zekeriya Gunes

SIIRT, Turkey

Six people were arrested Saturday in connection with a mine collapse in southeast Turkey that left five miners dead, police said.

Three of those arrested worked for mine operator Park Elektrik and the others were employed by a construction subcontractor, Antlar Insaat.

Eleven miners are still trapped underground following the accident at the Madenkoy copper mine in Sirvan, Siirt province, late Thursday, which is believed to have been caused by a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall.

The arrested suspects included the owner of Antlar, two field managers, a chief engineer and two occupational safety specialists. Another Park Elektrik employee is being sought by police, a Gendarmerie official said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

According to Park Elektrik’s website, the company, which is a member of the Ciner Group, has operated the mine since 2006. An estimated 41.5 million tonnes of copper ore are at the site.

The mine’s private operator, Park Elektrik, had said in a statement that due to a risk of further landslides, production had been “interrupted”.