10 climbers killed in Turkey

Published January 26, 2009

ISTANBUL, Jan 25: An avalanche that swept down a mountain near a small winter resort killed 10 climbers in northeast Turkey on Sunday, but seven of their companions survived the crush, a government minister said.

Rescue teams worked through the afternoon to retrieve survivors and bodies from the 17-person group which had set out on a hike from the village of Zigana in mountainous Gumushane province, near Turkey’s Black Sea coast.

Orange-clad search teams and locals equipped with shovels and accompanied by dogs continued to scour the snowy slopes as the light faded.

“Unfortunately we lost 10 of our friends. Two of our friends are in hospital and five escaped without being caught by the avalanche,” Housing Minister Faruk Nafiz Ozak said after arriving at the scene.

“This is a great loss, a major incident. My condolences to our nation,” the minister said in comments broadcast on Turkish television channels.

The group belonged to a climbing club based in the neighbouring Black Sea province of Trabzon.

The avalanche occurred at around 11:15 am (0915 GMT).

—Reuters

Opinion

Editorial

Economic plan?
Updated 15 Dec, 2024

Economic plan?

So long as the government does not realise that it needs to put its own house in order, growth will remain anaemic and the world will be reluctant to help.
Registration tussle
15 Dec, 2024

Registration tussle

MAULANA Fazlur Rehman appears to be having trouble digesting the fact that he was taken for a ride. The government,...
Dangerous overreach
15 Dec, 2024

Dangerous overreach

THE latest wave of arrests and cases filed against journalists and social media users under Peca marks an alarming...
Half measures
Updated 14 Dec, 2024

Half measures

The question remains: Were suspects' prolonged detention, subsequent trial, and punishments ever legal in eyes of the law?
Engaging with Kabul
14 Dec, 2024

Engaging with Kabul

WHILE relations with the Afghan Taliban have been testy of late, mainly because of the feeling in Islamabad that the...
Truant ministers
Updated 14 Dec, 2024

Truant ministers

LAWMAKERS from both the opposition and treasury benches have been up in arms about what they see as cabinet...