Turkey’s President Erdogan has faced backlash as he said ‘destiny’ was to be blamed for their deaths.
The President’s claim that the unfortunate deaths were ‘destiny’ caused many to take up protests in the streets of Istanbul, many claiming it was a massacre.
The deaths were caused by an explosion on Friday in a Black Sea mining facility in the Batin Province of the country. So far the unfortunate event has claimed 41 lives and 28 have been injured.
The President visited the site on Saturday, while the rescue crew was trying to contain a firedamp, caused by the release of natural gases.
In a press conference, surrounded by the miners and rescue workers, he commented that it was the “plan of destiny” and “will always be”.
A similar incident has taken place in the past in 2014, which was termed as ” Turkey’s worst ever mining disaster”, which claimed 301 lives in the town of Soma, and an explosion also took place later that year which claimed 18 lives. To which President Erdogan replied that “these things happen” and that the explosion was related to the risky industry that they work in. But research tells us that the explosions could have been avoidable.
These remarks caused outrage across the country. The leader of the opposition, Kemal Kilicdarouglu, remarked, “In which century are we living in ?” and that ” why only in Turkey do mine accidents happen?”
The leader of the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects, took to Twitter to say that the explosion was no accident and that the miners were sent hundreds of metres underground without any safety precautions, inspection and in unsafe conditions.
The cause of the explosion remains unknown. The investigation is underway and initial findings point out that the explosion was caused by a formation of methane gas inside the coal mine, which is explosive in nature.
The relatives of the miners say that they were told that there was a smell and signs of a gas leak and that the explosion was a result of gross negligence.
There were about 110 miners who were working in the mines during the time of the explosion, half of them about 300m underground, 58 of them were rescued or somehow escaped the tragedy.
The mine is owned by the state under the name Turkish Hard Coal Enterprises.
Rescue operations are underway to recover and locate the bodies of the rest of the miners who are currently trapped in the mine, and the public’s access is restricted and only limited access has been provided to the relatives, political leaders, armed forces, and rescue team personnel.
DO FOLLOW: Outrage in Turkey after Erdoğan says ‘fate’ to blame for mine explosion
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