Eight rescuers killed, dozens missing in avalanche in Van province, Turkey

17:34, 05.02.2020

At least eight rescue workers were killed and dozens were missing Wednesday after being hit by an avalanche in eastern Turkey during a mission to locate two other people swept up in an earlier avalanche, according to reports.

About 300 emergency service workers responded to a highway near the mountainous town of Bahcesehir, in Van province, which borders Iran, after an avalanche struck late Tuesday, killing five people.

The first avalanche, which buried a snow-clearing vehicle and a minibus, left two missing. The vehicle’s operator and seven passengers escaped alive, according to Reuters.

The second avalanche struck Wednesday as the rescuers were searching for the two missing victims, NTV news reported, adding that fog and heavy snow were hampering the rescue efforts.

The state-run Anadolu news agency said the operator, Bahattin Karagulle, was trapped beneath the snow for about 25 minutes before he managed to break a window and escape. He said he walked toward a village before he was picked up by a vehicle and managed to seek help.

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