'Thousand questions surround' miner's death in northern Turkey
The cause of death of a northern Turkey miner is being investigated by the prosecutor's office as the incident was ruled a heart attack at first, but an autopsy revealed a brain hemorrhage. "There are a thousand questions surrounding this incident," a workers' representative said.
Mustafa Özdemir / DUVAR
The Zonguldak prosecutor's office launched an investigation into the death of 39-year-old mine worker Yusuf Sorhan who was found dead in the Black Sea province's Üzülmez Mine.
The worker's cause of death was initially ruled a heart attack, Turkey Coal Institution (TTK) Chairman Kazım Eroğlu said, but an autopsy revealed that he experienced a brain hemorrhage, triggered by a broken neck.
A committee of mining engineers inspected the site of Sorhan's death following the incident, but found no sign of a work accident, such as a sinkhole, fallen rock or a methane leak.
"There are a thousand questions surrounding this incident," the chairman said.
Following the TTK committee's inconclusive inspection, photographers were sent to the spot, a first in the history of the mine.
The TTK turned over the photographs of the scene to the prosecutor's office, who will carry on the investigation, Eroğlu added.