An explosion at an arms factory in western Turkey left at least 12 people dead and five injured Tuesday morning.
The blast occurred in an explosives production facility in the province of Balıkesir in Turkey’s Marmara region, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.
Balıkesir Governor İsmail Ustaoğlu said the explosion collapsed one of the main production buildings, and the surrounding buildings sustained minor damage. Turkish prosecutors were on the scene and investigating the incident, according to him.
“We foresee that no other citizens remain inside. The injured are in good health and have no issues. The explosion occurred due to technical reasons; there is no possibility of sabotage,” Ustaoğlu said.
Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç wrote on social media platform X that four public prosecutors have been assigned to investigate the cause of the explosion.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed his condolences over the incident, saying, “I am deeply saddened by the loss of 12 of our brothers,” and wishing the injured a swift recovery.
Meanwhile a Russian ship cargo ship has sank in the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Algeria following a blast in its engine room, leaving two crew members missing, according to authorities.
The remaining 14 crew members out of a total of 16 have been rescued and are currently in Spain, Russian foreign ministry said in a statement. The ministry did not share any further details on the explosion that sank the ship or what might have caused it.
The vessel, called Ursa Major, was constructed in 2009. The ship was on its way to the Russian Far East port of Vladivostok, carrying heavy equipment.
Ukraine’s military intelligence claimed on Tuesday that the Kremlin had sent the ship to the Mediterranean to bring back weapons and personnel from the Moscow-run Syrian port of Tartus following the fall of Bashar al-Assad. EuroNews
