Türkiye’s 1st mining crimes investigation bureau established

ZONGULDAK

An investigation bureau on mining accident-related crimes has been established in the northern province of Zonguldak, where Türkiye’s paramount coal mines are situated, marking a pioneering initiative in the country.

Bearing witness to several mining accidents resulting in fatalities and serious injuries, the Zonguldak Prosecutor’s Office on Feb. 19 inaugurated the country’s first bureau in this field both to enhance the scrutiny of work accidents and conduct probes into illicit mining operations in the region.

The formation of the bureau aims to facilitate a more coordinated effort between prosecutors and the police, intending to expedite and streamline the investigative process, the office said.

The bureau's establishment came a week after a major incident at a mine in the eastern province of Erzincan, in which a large mass of cyanide-laden waste slid used during the gold extraction process, with nine workers trapped.

Speaking to reporters late on Feb. 19, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced a temporary halt to search operations due to the risk of further landslides in the region.

With trucks starting to shuttle 1,000 loads per day to transport the soil, the ongoing movement of soil posed a grave risk to the search teams.

"We stopped the search activity in the manganese mine when we saw that the mass in that area, which had been stationary for six days, is not stable, but unfortunately becoming more active," Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said.

The local media reports quoting the statements of six arrested individuals once again highlighted severe negligence leading to the accident.

Officials of the operating company in custody revealed that an excessive amount of soil had been accumulated in the area designated for waste, surpassing its capacity, with the problem continuously reported to the administration. They further added that cracks in the same region had been reported days before, yet no preventive measures were taken.