'Natural Disaster' Responsible For Flood That Trapped 18 Miners: Firm

A “natural disaster” was responsible for a flood that trapped 18 miners at a coal mine on Monday in southern Turkey, the mine operator company Has Şekerler Madencilik said in its first statement on the tragic event after three days.

The company said the flood occurred although “it took all the safety measures required” and that “it appears to be a natural disaster according to what eyewitnesses report.” In a contradictory written statement, the company also said “it is impossible to define the exact cause of the accident right now.” There are claims that water inside the mine was not being drained in time causing the flooding. According to regulations, this water should be drained every other week.

The disaster was the second major industrial accident at a Turkish mine in six months. Turkey's deadliest disaster occurred in May in the western town of Soma, where 301 miners were killed, sparking a national outcry over the country's shoddy work-safety record. Hundreds die every year in workplace accidents in Turkey. (Cihan/Today’s Zaman)