Turkish rescuers hunt for seven trapped miners

ANKARA, Nov 24 (AFP) - Turkish search and rescue teams were to due to resume efforts on Monday to find seven miners feared dead in an underground coal mine explosion, the Anatolia news agency reported.

The charred bodies of three men were recovered on Sunday just hours after the blast in the mine in the southern province of Karaman, which is believed to have been caused by a build-up of gas.

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Another seven miners were believed to be buried under debris and rescue workers have all but given up hope of finding them alive, it said.

Two senior officials from the private company operating the mine were detained on Sunday amid accusations they had failed to abide by safety regulations.

"This mine had been put into operation without fulfilling all the requirements of the regulations," Karaman governor Ismet Metin was quoted by Anatolia as saying.

Gas explosions are common in the Turkey's privately-run mines, where respect for safety regulations is often minimal.

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