Major landslide in eastern Turkey: 9 goldminers are missing

Authorities reported that a landslide struck a gold mine in eastern Turkey on Tuesday 13^th of February, at 14:28 local time (11:28 GMT), resulting in the disappearance of nine miners. Footage from the site shows a surge of mud flowing down through the valley where the Copler mine is situated.

The mine's geographical position places it at a significant distance from major urban centers since it is located in Erzincan province, approximately 90km from the provincial capital Erzincan city and over 600km east of Ankara.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya stated that the nine missing are believed to be trapped within the mine. Rescuers from neighboring provinces are aiding in the effort, after the company promptly activated its emergency protocol and notified public authorities.

Ayhan Yuksel, president of the chamber of mining engineers, expressed concern that cyanide, stored within the mine, might contaminate the surrounding area in the aftermath of the landslide. A previous incident in 2022 involved the spillage of approximately 20 tons of cyanide from the same mine, raising worries about potential pollution of the nearby Euphrates River.