1,571 miners have lost their lives in the work accidents in Turkey’s mining sector since 2002 under the rule of Justice and Development Party (AKP), according to the report released by the Association for Labor Health and Occupation Safety (İSİG).
“The neo-liberal policies started with the September 12 [coup] have deepened during the AKP governance term. As a result of these polices, 1,571 miners have lost their lives in the occupational homicides”, the report said.
According to the report the death toll in the mine accidents in Turkey according to the years as follow: At least 11 miners have died in the last two months of 2002; at least 81 in 2003; at least 68 in 2004, at least 121 in 2005; at least 80 in 2006; at least 77 in 2007; at least 66 in 2008; at least 92 in 2009; at least 125 in 2010; at least 117 in 2011; at least 81 in 2012; at least 93 in 2013; at least 386 in 2014; at least 67 in 2015; at least 74 in 2016; at least 32 miners in the first four months of 2017 lost their lives.
On May 13, 2014, an explosion at a coal mine in Soma, Manisa caused an underground mine fire, which burned until May 15 and led to kill 301 miners. It was the worst mine disaster in Turkey’s history. The fire occurred at the mine’s shift change, and 787 workers were underground at the time of the explosion. Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) announced the names of 301 workers who died in the mine disaster and 486 people who survived but some politicians claimed that the number of dead is more than 340.
May 15, 2017
