Miner becomes father while still trapped underground

KARAMAN

Hüseyin Gültekin's first child was born a few hours after the accident that trapped him underground. DHA Photo

Hüseyin Gültekin, one of the workers trapped inside the mine in the Central Anatolian province of Karaman after flooding of one of its galleries on Oct. 28, became a father only a few hours after the accident took place.

His wife, Ayşe Gültekin, gave birth to a baby boy while the family was still waiting for information about whether the 18 miners trapped underground were still alive.

“I couldn’t even take the baby in my arms due to the pain. I prayed the whole night for my son to be rescued,” said his father, Hasan Gültekin.

“He got married a year ago. They were counting the days for the birth of their first baby,” he added.

Hüseyin Gültekin’s brother-in-law, Tezcan Gökçe, is also among the trapped miners.

Rescue efforts to decrease the water levels inside the mine have been continuing overnight, but no contact has been established with the trapped miners.

All planned celebrations across Turkey for Republic Day on Oct. 29 have been canceled following the accident.