Ministry ends missing kids row

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

Some 91.4 percent of the missing children were found soon after. Hürriyet photo

The Interior Ministry has moved to clear up confusion on the number of children missing in Turkey, announcing yesterday that over 60,000 children had gone missing between 2008 and 2011.

Some 62,517 children were reported missing during the three years, 61,375 of which were found, the ministry said, citing Police Department and Gendarmerie figures, adding that authorities were working to locate the other 1,142 missing children. In general, 98.17 percent of missing persons are found, the ministry said, citing the same figures provided by the law enforcement authorities.

Some 91.4 percent of the kids reported missing are found in the first three months after disappearing, while another 8.6 percent are found either within six months or a longer period of time. The ministry, meanwhile, said new units had been formed to work more efficiently on the issue.