Rescuers are pumping oxygen into a coal mine in western Turkey as they battle to save hundreds of miners trapped underground following a blast which left at least 238 dead.
Hundreds of frantic relatives crowded around the surface of the mine, in Soma, some 155 miles (250km) south of Istanbul, anxiously waiting for news following what looks set to become Turkey's deadliest mining disaster.
Relatives wailed as more bodies were pulled from the mine. One woman was pulled away as she desperately tried to get into the ambulance with her loved one.
The head of Turkey's mining union has said he believes there are between 100 and 150 workers still trapped inside, although other reports suggest that figure could be much higher.
Many of the miners were coughing and covered in dust as they were rescuedThose still underground are thought to be some 1.2 miles (2km) below the surface and 2.5 miles (4km) from the mine entrance.
But despite efforts to help any survivors who may be struggling to breathe, the country's energy minister Taner Yildiz said "hopes are diminishing" among rescuers.
A fire was said to have been burning inside the mine long into the day and high levels of carbon monoxide have forced rescue teams to halt the operation on a number of occasions.
The father of one of the dozens of rescued miners embraces his sonThe poisonous gas was thought to have been responsible for the majority of fatalities.
TV pictures earlier showed survivors coughing and spluttering as they were pulled out alive, their faces coated with black dust.
Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has arrived at the scene to express his condolences to those who have lost loved ones.
But for many, fear has now turned into anger as reports suggest poor safety standards could have contributed to the disaster.
Soma is well known for its mining industryThe blast was said to have been triggered by an electrical fault, which then caused the fire.
Protests have broken out in Istanbul and Turkey's capital Ankara, where police have fired tear gas and water cannon at an estimated 800 people shouting anti-government slogans.
Journalist Dorian Jones told Sky News previous accidents have been reported at the mine and the safety record of operator Soma Komur Isletmeleri has been called into question.
Mr Jones said one miner had told him he felt like a "lamb to the slaughter" every time he went to work.
Worried relatives rush to the mine complex in the town of SomaThe disaster reportedly struck during a change of shifts, meaning more than the usual number of workers were underground.
It is uncertain how many miners had started the later shift, meaning there is some confusion over reports that 787 workers were in the mine at the time of the blast.
According to Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency just 93 people were pulled out alive, a significantly smaller number than previously reported.
The explosion happened in Turkey's western Manisa provinceIn a statement, Soma Komur Isletmeleri described the explosion as a "tragic accident" which happened "despite maximum safety measures and inspections".
According to Turkey's ministry of labour, the pit was last inspected on March 17 and was found to be compliant with safety regulations.
Turkey's mines have one of the worst safety records in the developed world.
The country's worst mining disaster was in 1992, when a gas explosion killed 263 workers near the Black Sea port of Zonguldak.
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