Deadly Turkey blast ‘traps hundreds’

Author (Corporate)
Series Title
Series Details 13.05.14
Publication Date 13/05/2014
Content Type

Hundreds were reported to be trapped underground at the coal mine in Soma, Turkey in May 2014 after an explosion and fire.

Reports on the 14 May 2014 stated that at least 205 people had been killed, while rescuers were hunting desperately for scores of Turkish coal miners still missing.

Turkey's biggest trade union, KESK, said it planned to strike after the devastating mine fire and collapse, as it blamed privatisation for the disaster.

Turkey’s prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared three days of national mourning in the wake of the tragedy. However, his statement on the country's mine safety record sparked further controversy.

Thousands of people gathered in Istanbul and Ankara on the 14 May 2014 to demonstrate against the government. They blamed the AKP's privatisation policy for the workers' deaths. Commentators saw it as a sign of democratic immaturity that the government ignored deficits on site, and predicted that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan would face another trial of strength.

By the 19 May 2014 Milliyet was quoting the confirmed dead at over three hundred.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-27400283
Related Links
BBC News, 14.05.14: Turkey coal mine disaster: Desperate search at Soma pit http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-27408394
Deutsche Welle, 14.05.14: 'Hopes fading' in Turkey after deadly mine collapse http://dw.de/p/1BzNE
The Guardian, 14.05.14: Turkey mine explosion: more than 200 dead and hundreds trapped http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/13/turkey-mine-blast-people-killed-trapped-rescue-operation
Euronews, 13.05.14: Turkey: fire in coal mine traps 200 http://www.euronews.com/2014/05/13/turkey-fire-in-coal-mine-traps-200/
Council of the European Union: Press Release, PRES/14/294: Statement by Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, on the tragic mine accident in Turkey http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/ec/142589.pdf
Deutsche Welle, 15.05.14: Anger over Turkey mine disaster prompts union strike http://dw.de/p/1C0Uq
The New York Times, 15.05.14: Death Toll Mounts in Turkish Mine Disaster http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/16/world/europe/turkey-mine-explosion.html
BBC News, 15.04.14: Turkish mine disaster: Unions hold protest strike http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-27415822
Euronews, 14.05.14: Erdogan defends Turkey’s mine safety record http://www.euronews.com/2014/05/14/erdogan-defends-turkeys-mine-safety-record/
Deutsche Welle, 14.05.14: Erdogan under pressure after deadly mine explosion http://dw.de/p/1BzmU
The Guardian, 15.05.14: Turkey mine disaster: grief turns to rage as hopes of finding survivors fade http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/14/turkey-mine-disaster-anger-rage-hopes-survivors-fade
Euro|Topics, 15.05.14: Mine disaster fans anger against Erdoğan http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/archiv_dossier/DOSSIER143492-Mine-disaster-fans-anger-against-Erdo-an
Spiegel Online International, 16.05.14: Turkey Mine Disaster: Erdogan Loses His Grip http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/turkey-mine-disaster-creates-widespread-anger-at-erdogan-a-969823.html
The New York Times, 16.05.14:Turkish Authorities Say 18 Miners Still Missing http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/17/world/europe/turkish-authorities-say-miners-still-missing.html
BBC News, 16.05.14: Turkey mine disaster: Soma firm denies negligence http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-27435869
Euronews, 16.05.14: Search for missing miners continues in Turkey http://www.euronews.com/2014/05/16/search-for-missing-miners-continues-in-turkey/
The Guardian, 15.05.14: Turkey: miners and mourners scorn government that 'laughs at our pain' http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/15/mining-disaster-mourning-in-turkey
Radikal, 16.05.14: Turkish Government thinks its citizens are dumb (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE143530-Turkish-Government-thinks-its-citizens-are-dumb
BBC News, 18.05.14: Turkey mine disaster: 24 arrested over Soma deaths http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-27459912
The Guardian, 19.05.14: Turkey mine disaster: 24 people held on suspicion of negligence http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/19/turkey-mine-disaster-24-detained
The New York Times, 18.05.14: Turkey Arrests Several Executives Over Mining Disaster http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/19/world/europe/turkish-authorities-make-arrests-in-mining-disaster.html
Deutsche Welle, 18.05.14: Turkey charges three over Soma mining disaster http://dw.de/p/1C29I
Milliyet, 19.05.14: Turkey divided even by national disaster (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE143624-Turkey-divided-even-by-national-disaster
Spiegel Online International, 19.05.14: Soma Tragedy: Erdogan Faces Fall-Out From Mine Disaster http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/soma-mine-disaster-reveals-cracks-in-turkish-leadership-a-970284.html
Taraf, 20.05.14: EU regulations save lives in coal mines (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE143693-EU-regulations-save-lives-in-coal-mines

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