Many dead in Turkish mine accident

Four survivors were in critical condition, Dincer told journalists after visiting the hospital where the miners were treated.

Seventeen workers were killed in the same mine in a similar blast in June 2006, the Anatolia said. The mine is 20km from the centre of Dursunbey.

In December, a similar accident killed 19 miners in Bursa.

Safety violations and outdated equipment have been factors in past mine accidents in the country.