Turkish police detain 18 people over mining disaster

Turkish authorities have detained 18 people, including mining company executives in connection with this week’s deadly mine disaster – the country’s worst ever mining disaster.

Prosecutors are now questioning five of the 18 people detailed, local media said. Among the detained are Mine Operator Ramazan Dogru and General Director Akyn Celik.

Rescue operations ended on Saturday after the bodies of the last two trapped miners from the rubble of the stricken mine in the western town of Soma, a district in Turkey's western province of Manisa.

Many of the deaths are believed to have been caused by asphyxiation as the mine flooded with carbon monoxide following the initial blast.

The final death toll is 301 people.

The news triggered mass protests in Turkey, while the friends and the families of the victims have accused the government of holding back information. Many have criticised Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan for being insensitive in his reaction to the tragic event.

Enraged demonstrators marched along Istanbul’s Taksim Square on Saturday, demanding an explanation from the Turkish government over the tragedy. Riot police were deployed to block access to the Square and they used tear gas and water cannon to disperse activists.

The explosion is believed to have been sparked by an electrical fault at the private mine. A preliminary expert report on the incident obtained by the Milliyet newspaper pointed to several safety violations in the mine, including a shortage of carbon monoxide detectors and ceilings made of wood instead of metal.