Turkey charges 3 more company officials over Soma disaster

A Turkish court has charged three more people with manslaughter over the Soma mine disaster, including the CEO of the company operating the pit, reports said on Tuesday.

Can Gurkan, chief executive of the Soma Coal Mining Company, general manager Ramazan Dogru and a technician were the latest to face manslaughter charges over the disaster that claimed 301 lives, according to the privately run NTV television channel.

A total of eight company officials have now been charged over the collapsed mine, which sparked nationwide protests across several towns and cities, and they all deny any responsibility for the disaster.

Rescue operations came to an end on Saturday after the bodies of the two last trapped miners were retrieved following the country’s worst ever industrial disaster, with an investigation now well under way to look into the causes of the fire and explosion that it’s been reported were started by an electrical fault at the privately run mine.

Lead prosecutor in Soma, Bekir Sahiner, denied reports an electrical fault was behind the disaster and told reporters a preliminary investigation had “suggested the fire could have been caused by coal heating up after coming into contact with air”, which could have caused a large amount of carbon monoxide to fill the mine.

Local daily Milliyet has claimed to have seen the preliminary report, which it said noted several safety violations in the mine, including a shortage of carbon monoxide detectors and ceilings made of wood instead of metal.

The disaster has led to widespread protests against the government, including in Soma where all demonstrations have now been banned and checkpoints set up on main roads leading in and out of the town.

At least 36 people, including eight lawyers, were arrested on Saturday after they attempted to make a statement in relation to the disaster, with some beaten and injured by the police according to AFP.

Protests in the capital Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir have seen police firing tear gas and water cannons at crowds.

Local media have reported that the government are drawing up plans to provide the miners’ families with a monthly payment and will pledge to employ one member of each family in the public sector if they request to do so.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been accused of being insensitive in his response to the disaster when he said mining accidents are in “the nature of the business”, a comment that sparked protests accusing him of indifference to the plight of the families.

Erdogan has faced further criticism after video footage allegedly showed him slapping a protester during his visit to Soma surfaced last week. Photos showing one of his aides kicking a protester have done little to dampen protests against the government.

The incident has raised political pressure on Erdogan, who is widely expected to launch a bid for the presidency in August.