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A Turkish miner at the entrance of the coal mine in Soma, Turkey AP/Press Association Images

Three charged with manslaughter over disaster that killed 301 miners

The detained include mining executives, and the action comes after 301 miners died in the incident.

Updated 9.24pm

A TURKISH COURT has charged three people with manslaughter over a mine disaster that killed 301 people, the prosecutor in charge of the probe said.

“Twenty-five people have been taken, detained and three of them have been charged with manslaughter,” prosecutor Bekir Sahiner told reporters in the western town of Soma where the country’s worst ever mining disaster took place.

Detained

Earlier today, Turkish police detained 24 people, including mining executives, suspected of negligence over the disaster that killed 301 people and sparked fury at the government and officials, local media reported.

Rescue operations ended yesterday after the bodies of the last two trapped miners were retrieved following the disaster.

The investigation begins

Dozens of prosecutors have been assigned to investigate the fire and explosion believed to have been sparked by an electrical fault at a private mine.

Among those detained is Akin Celik, general director of mine operator Soma Komur, NTV television reported. The suspects could face charges including manslaughter, it added.

Soma Komur has vehemently denied any negligence.

“We have all worked very hard. I have not seen such an incident in 20 years,” Celik said on Friday.

The labour ministry also denied culpability, saying the mine had been inspected every six months.

Expert report

A preliminary expert report on the accident obtained by the Milliyet newspaper pointed to several safety violations in the mine, including a shortage of carbon monoxide detectors and ceilings made of wood instead of metal.

The authenticity of the report could not be immediately verified.

A group of rescue workers told NTV that a cave-in had occurred in the mine after the ceilings burnt down and collapsed due to the fire.

Fury against the government

The Soma disaster has sparked a wave of fury against the government, adding to pressure on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan ahead of his expected run for the presidency in August.

Soma was in a virtual lockdown today after checkpoints were set up on the main roads leading to the town where all demonstrations were banned, AFP reporters on the scene said.

Only inspectors and security forces were allowed at the site of the disaster after the rescue teams had left.

Arrests yesterday

On Saturday, at least 36 people, including eight lawyers, were arrested and held in a stadium in Soma after they attempted to make a statement. Some of the lawyers were beaten and injured by police.

Images of police firing tear gas and water cannon at thousands of protesters in Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir have also revived memories of the government’s heavy-handed crackdown against nationwide protests in 2013.

A total of 787 people were inside the mine when the blast hit, Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said. Most of the victims died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

“I was very sad when I came here and I am still very sad,” Yildiz told reporters before leaving Soma, pledging support for the stricken families.

The disaster has added to the huge political pressure on Erdogan, whose Islamic-rooted party emerged triumphant from March 30 local elections despite a corruption scandal implicating key allies and last year’s mass protests.

- © AFP, 2014

- First published 4.45pm

Read: Final death toll in Turkey mining disaster stands at 301>

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    Mute Red Ed
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    May 18th 2014, 4:54 PM

    If it happened in Ireland they would all get big retirement packages and make the surviving miners pay for it

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    Mute Ahippo
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    May 19th 2014, 7:44 AM

    That is a fairly idiotic comment Red and aside from being stupidly cynical betrays a lack of appreciation of what is really going on here.

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    Mute Niall Mullins
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    May 18th 2014, 10:27 PM

    Nothing more than another cover up by Erdogan and his crooked government. There’s no way they can know at this stage who was responsible and charging anybody is nothing more than a poor attempt to quieten an angry public.
    Having worked in various factories in and around Istanbul in the three months before Christmas I can guarantee that health and safety is almost non existent in Turkey. One poor sod was crushed in the back of a machine (will never walk again) while we were working there and only then did anybody ask if we had contractors insurance or safety training. This was a Dutch owned company btw. The standard working week is 8am – 6pm Monday to Saturday and to say that they have any kind of union representation is a joke. It’s a backward country and is being pushed further into the past by Erdogan and I for one never want to work there again.

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    Mute Solemn Colm
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    May 18th 2014, 4:52 PM

    And not one of them a politician ill bet

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    Mute Lorna Langan
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    May 18th 2014, 6:39 PM

    According to my friends in Soma there are still 120 miners missing. Why are the media not reporting On this?

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    Mute Jim Brady
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    May 18th 2014, 6:58 PM

    Rather than legislate to enforce safety in the first place, look for some middle management to blame

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    Mute Dom AcePlazo
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    May 18th 2014, 10:12 PM

    Just a publicity stunt, that’s all.

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    Mute Brian Corcoran
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    May 18th 2014, 9:26 PM

    I bet they didn’t have to dig very deep for evidence

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