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The death toll from a methane gas exposure incident during a Turkish military search operation in northern Iraq has risen to eight, Türkiye's Defense Ministry announced.
Three additional personnel who were affected by methane gas during the July 6 search operation in a cave at elevation 852 meters have died, bringing the total number of fatalities to eight, the ministry said in a social media statement.
The incident occurred during search operations in a cave that had been used by members of the PKK terrorist group in the Claw-Lock Operation area in northern Iraq.
The original incident saw 19 Turkish military personnel exposed to methane gas while conducting search operations. Five personnel were initially confirmed dead, with the remainder hospitalized for treatment.
"In this incident that has plunged us into deep sorrow and grief, we pray for God's mercy for our precious martyrs who lost their lives, offer our condolences and patience to their grieving families, the Turkish Armed Forces and our noble nation, and wish a swift recovery to those affected," the Defense Ministry statement said.
The search operation was part of continuing efforts in the Pence-Kilit area, where Turkish forces have been conducting operations against terrorism. The cave search was related to ongoing efforts to locate the remains of Second Lieutenant Nuri Melih Bozkurt, who was killed in the area by the PKK terrorist group in May 2022.
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