Second disaster in Van: Avalanche also hit the rescuers, 23 deaths

Breaking news!

Van‘in avalanche 8 gendarmes, 3 village guards and 3 firefighters died as a result, and 9 citizens died.

The teams that carried out the search for two people in the minibus under the avalanche in Bahçesaray district became avalanche. While more than 30 people were rescued in the studies; 23 inanimate bodies were reached.

The last information about the incident was given by Van Governor Mehmet Emin Bilmez, who was connected to the NTV live broadcast by phone. Bilmez said that 8 gendarmes, 3 security guards, 3 firefighters and 9 civilians died in the incident. Governor Bilmez declined to provide clear information about the number of people under the avalanche.

The efforts to rescue 10-15 people, who are considered to be under avalanche, continue.

SUPPLEMENTARY TEAMS ARE SENT

Reinforcement teams were sent to the region to participate in the rescue efforts. The Ministry of National Defense announced that an aircraft owned by the Turkish Armed Forces was assigned to deliver the necessary equipment from Ankara to Van with 75 people, AFAD and the Gendarmerie personnel, who will support the search and rescue operations.

It was learned that among the people who were taken out of the avalanche and hospitalized, there were also President Gülşen Orhan and Van AFAD Provincial Director Osman Uçar.

EXPLANATION FROM THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR

In the statement made by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the subject said, “During the ongoing search and rescue efforts, there was another avalanche incident in the region. In this avalanche incident, 30 people have been reached so far, and search and rescue efforts for those under avalanche continue.”

Following the incident, the search and rescue teams including JAK from Van, Hakkari, Şırnak, Bitlis, Siirt, Erzurum and Ankara provinces were sent to the region and continued as follows:

“In addition to the Van AFAD Provincial Director, who was under avalanche while coordinating the search and rescue activities, Muş Provincial Directorate of AFAD was dispatched to the region. Other provinces were vigilanted and kept ready for search and rescue activities. Also, AFAD Intervention Department to refer the studies carried out from Ankara. The president has been sent to the region. Information about the developments will be given. “

PRESIDENT ERDOĞAN RECEIVED INFORMATION

President Erdoğan received information from the Minister of Internal Affairs Soylu, whom he met on the phone, about the avalanche in Bahçesaray and the search and rescue efforts.

5 DEADS IN THE FIRST AVAL

An avalanche fell on a van yesterday at the 33th kilometer of the Van-Bahçesaray highway. In the initiated works, 7 people were saved while 5 lifeless bodies were reached. Search and rescue work started again at 07.00 today.