Soma Coal Mine Disaster | News and Discussion

[xenon54 out]

What is the situation right now? Any hope of finding some miners alive?

Death toll is still rising. Its about 270 now, there are also miners who got saved.

 

[-SINAN-]

I forgot @BronzePlaque

It is not special condolences. You are just the Turkish users that I have interacted most with during my time on PDF so I wanted to mention you.

What is the situation right now? Any hope of finding some miners alive?

They stopped rescue operation 3 hours ago. They are reversing the airflow, to clean the carbonmonoxide. Operation will continue 1 hour later.

Also situation looks very grim.

 

[al-Hasani]

Death toll is still rising. Its about 270 now, there are also miners who got saved.

Horrible. I hope that the relatives will be compensated economically at least. Not that this will help their sorrow. In fear of starting a political debate then I read on BBC that the opposition wanted to check the safety of the mine but this was apparently refused. Maybe this could have saved the people but this is probably a useless debate since mistakes happen and it's only human. It's a shame that so many people and innocents will have to pay the highest price.

It's so difficult to extinguish fires when coal mines are involved. Not to sound negative but I think that it will be a miracle to find survivors.

 

[-SINAN-]

Good explanation about what happened/happening in the mine.

Soma'da ölümler neden bu kadar büyük boyutlara ulaştı? - CNN TÜRK

 

[Sam1980]

Devastating news, this news has really, really saddened me.
Death of a single person is a tragic event, let alone more than 200 people.
May they rest in peace.

I hope the person responsible for this is brought to justice.

 

[Kiarash]

Such a heart-breaking news, my most sincere condolences to their families
may God bless their souls

 

[Kompromat]

Turkish coal mine tragedy | Pakistani flag flies at half mast in a National day of mourning.

 

[Saithan]

AK Party rejects CHP proposal on mine safety weeks before Soma blast

The Turkish government rejected a proposal by the main opposition party two weeks ago that sought to look into the frequent deaths at coal mines in the town of Soma, where a mine explosion on Tuesday has caused the deaths of at least 274 people so far in western Turkey.

The Republican People's Party (CHP) proposal sought to look into frequent explosions at the coal mines in Soma and to establish a commission in parliament to investigate the lack of safe working conditions at the mines. It was rejected on April 29 due to the votes of deputies from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party).

Süleyman Çelebi, a Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy and former head of the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers' Unions (DİSK), does not accept that the deaths of more than 200 hundred coal miners can be presented as an accident. “This is no work accident; this is work murder,” he told Today's Zaman.

Erhan Akçay, a Manisa deputy from the National Movement Party (MHP), also feels that the coal mine tragedy in Soma should not be considered a mere work-related accident, though he was seemingly cautious while answering Today's Zaman's questions over the phone and he refrained from calling the incident it murder.

It was in October of last year that, together with 51 other CHP deputies, Özgür Özel submitted the declined parliamentary question for a commission to be set up. The National Movement Party (MHP) and the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), whose deputies are now a part of the People's Democratic Party (HDP), also offered support to the CHP's proposal at the time.

For Çelebi, who is currently in Soma inquiring about the issue and offering his support to grieving families, the government is responsible for the tragedy since it has in past years refused to accept any of the CHP's draft laws to improve work safety in mines. He said: “If one of our proposals had been given consideration [by the government], there would have been no such accident that could claim so many lives.”

CHP's Özel, who took the floor at the Parliament session on April 29, complained during his speech about the insensitivity of the ruling party to the safety issues at coal mines in Soma, Manisa. Özel said the government had responded to previous parliamentary questions submitted by the CHP on frequent deaths in the Soma mines by saying it had so far conducted 10 inspections, had identified 66 faults at the mines and had issued fines.

But explosions and deaths at coal mines kept on coming, even after the government had responded to the Parliamentary questions concerning them, Özel also said at the April session. He maintained that the ruling party had close ties with some mine companies in the region and that it overlooked issues in the working conditions at the mines.

“There is a company called Uyar Madencilik (Uyar Mining Company), which entertains excellent ties with Manisa deputies [of the AK Party]. In mining, there are so many big problems and flaws [in working conditions], but [although] Uyar Mining was inspected many times, it was never fined until the latest accident [that took place in October last year]," the CHP deputy had said.

When Muzaffer Yurttaş, a Manisa deputy from the ruling AK Party, said at the same April 29 session that the ruling party had no relations with Uyar Mining -- which had closed down the mine where the accident took place in October -- Özel, taking the floor for a second time, responded: “Every time Uyar Mining underwent inspection, [officials of the company] went to take up the issue with the general manager of the TKİ (Turkish Coal Enterprises) accompanied by Manisa deputies [of the ruling party].”

Accusing the government of being responsible for the dozens of miners who lost their lives or were wounded in the past years in the company's coal mine, Özel said: “Although you [the government] identified 66 defects [in safety measures in the mine], you did not lifted a finger until thousands of people were killed and dozens were wounded.”

The MHP's Akçay, who is also in Soma to look into the case, is also not convinced that the government made efforts to take necessary measures against possible accidents at mines. “Safety measures were not sufficient [in the coal mine in Soma]. Neither were the [official] inspections. They [the government] say they carried out inspections, but [the inspections] were not efficient and did not serve their purpose,” he told Today's Zaman.

Safety in coal mines is a real issue in Turkey, and mining is one of the industries in Turkey where most deaths occur. Turkey ranks third in the world and first in Europe in the number of work-related accidents.

The public hospital in Soma, the only one in town, does not have a burn victim unit where burns can be treated. Miners who get burns have to be transported to hospitals in other towns in the region. “For this reason, many of those who were burned in the mines there [over the years] died on the way [to the hospital],” Akçay noted at the April 29 Parliament session.

source: Today's Zaman, your gateway to Turkish daily news

Basimiz sagolsun. Even though I feel great anger at this, I have started to not let it bother me for too long, but just waiting to see what excuse AKP will come up with. Because they have failed the workers and any chance of letting AKP peoples head roll off from their shoulders would require a military coup.

 

[xxxKULxxx]

Pakistan, Soma için 1 günlük yas ilan etti - Asya Haberleri

BTW currently it is 282... I feel so bad while saying this but I think it will pass 400... (((((((((((

 

[-SINAN-]

Pakistan decleared mourning for Soma.

Pakistan'da bugün yas var - Milliyet Haber

 

[turkbordobereli]

Thanks to our brothers from Pakistani..We don't remember you..

And :

Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has also expressed deep grief and condolences over the deaths of more than 200 people in the mine blast.

In his message to his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Sharif said, "Pakistanis feel the pain of bereaved families in their hearts. The Pakistani government and the nation stand alongside their Turkish brothers at this trying time. We pray to Almighty Allah to rest the souls of the departed in eternal peace, and grant courage to the bereaved families to bear this irreparable loss with patience and fortitude."

World reacts to Turkey coal mine tragedy Anadolu Agency

 

[Mujraparty]

Outrage in Turkey as adviser to prime minister kicks mine disaster mourner near scene of tragedy as violent protests sweep country
Turkey mine disaster mourner kicked by Prime Minister's adviser in Soma | Mail Online

 

[Hakan]

Prayers for Turkish mining disaster victims to be performed at Azerbaijani mosques​

Prayers will be performed on May 16 at Azerbaijani mosques to commemorate the victims of the mining disaster that took place in the Soma town of Turkey's Manisa Province, head of the press service of Caucasian Muslims Office (CMO), Rahima Dadashova told Trend.

The latest reports indicate that 282 people became the victims of the mining disaster that took place in Manisa Province.

Turkey yesterday announced a three day mourning period for victims of the mining accident.

Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister, Taner Yıldız said 370 people have been rescued so far, adding that there is a little hope for saving the people who can be still under the rubble.

He also said that despite this the rescuers will do their best.

Prayers for Turkish mining disaster victims to be performed at Azerbaijani mosques
- Trend.Az

 

[xxxKULxxx]

 

[Adir-mz]

Horrified news
R.I.P