12 more officials detained in Soma disaster probe

Fevzi Kızılkoyun ANKARA

DHA Photo

Twelve officials have been detained in a second wave of operations as a part of the probe into the Soma mine disaster, which claimed lives of 301 workers in May.

Police detained officials from the Soma Coal Mining Company who were responsible for work safety and monitoring the data obtained by sensors and security camera footage at the mine.

The Public Prosecutors’ Office ordered the detentions after receiving the second expert report on the accident. The number of detainees may rise further in the coming weeks, reports said.

Eight officials, including Soma Coal Mining Company Chief Executive Can Gürkan, General Manager Ramazan Doğru and Operating Manager Akın Çelik were arrested in the first operation.

A total of 301 coalminers were killed in a disaster in the western town of Soma on May 13, the worst mining accident in Turkey’s history, which brought the conditions at mines across Turkey under the spotlight.