Western Black Sea Mining Disaster (Bartın Amasra Grizu Explosion)
The deaths of mine workers in the Grizu explosion at the Amasra Mine in Bartın Amasra Mine has overwhelmed all of Turkey, especially the people of the Western Black Sea region, with sadness. In recent years, 552 miners lost their lives in the Western Black Sea mines.
Western Black Sea and Disasters
Both in the Turkic world and in Turkey, the Western Black Sea is a rare region with a high level of public order and patriotism.
But recently, it has been shaken by one bad news and disaster after another[1][2]:
i- Western Black Sea Poverty Disaster 2020
The Western Black Sea has experienced the disaster of poverty as a result of centuries of neglect. On September 11, 2020, it was declared the poorest region (TR82 Kastamonu, Sinop, Çankırı) by TURKSTAT.
ii- Flood Disaster in the Western Black Sea 2021
On August 11, 2021, it was used to describe the floods, inundations and landslides caused by excessive rainfall in the Western Black Sea region of the Black Sea Region. A total of hundreds and more people in the region lost their lives, were injured or disappeared in the floods that mostly affected Kastamonu, Sinop and Bartın provinces.
iii- Flood Disaster in the Western Black Sea 2022
Before the Western Black Sea could heal the wounds of the 2021 flood disaster, the region also experienced the 2022 Western Black Sea Flood Disaster. On June 27, 2022, the provinces affected by the flood disaster[3] in the Western Black Sea Region were the provinces on the Sinop-Düzce line. The loss of life and property was not as much as the previous disaster.
iv- Western Black Sea Mining Disaster 2022
The explosion at the Amasra Works Directorate of the Turkish Hard Coal Corporation in Bartın on October 13, 2022 added to the disasters in the Western Black Sea region. At least 41 laborers lost their lives.
Western Black Sea Mining Disasters
Since 1941, nearly 3,000 people have died and more than 100,000 have been injured in accidents in mines. The main causes of accidents in mines include griz explosions, fires and cave-ins.[4]
Leaving aside the Soma Mine Disaster in Western Anatolia, which claimed the lives of 301 miners, mining disasters are mostly concentrated in the Western Black Sea Region:[5] A glance at the last forty years shows this more clearly:
i- Zonguldak Mining Disasters
- March 7, 1983: 103 workers lost their lives in a griz explosion at the Armutçuk hard coal mine.
- March 3, 1992: 263 workers lost their lives in an explosion at the Kozlu hard coal mine.
- May 17, 2010: 30 people lost their lives in an explosion at the Karadon Hard Coal Plant.
- January 8, 2013: A methane gas explosion at the Kozlu coal mine killed 8 workers.
- November 1, 2014: 1 worker died in an accident at the unlicensed Gelik coal mine.
- March 10, 2015: 1 worker lost his life in an accident at the Karadeniz Ereğli Kandilli coal mine.
- 1 worker lost his life in an accident at a coal mine.
- 1 worker lost his life in an accident at a coal mine.
ii- Amasya Mining Disasters
- February 7, 1990: 68 workers lost their lives in a grizu explosion at Yeni Çeltik Coal Mine.
- June 8, 2015: 1 worker died in an accident at Suluova coal mine.
- January 27, 2019: An accident occurred at Yeniçeltek Coal Mine, 3 workers were rescued from the wreckage.
iii- Kastamonu Mining Disasters
- September 8, 2004: A fire broke out at the Küre Copper Quarry, killing 19 workers.
iv- Edirne Mine Disaster
- July 7, 2010: 3 workers lost their lives in a fire at Keşan Küçükdoğanca mine.
v- Bartın Mine Disasters
- November 1, 2014: 2 workers lost their lives in a cave-in at the Amasra mine.
- October 14, 2022: 41 workers lost their lives in the accident at the Amasra mine. 58 workers survived by their own means.
Bartın Amasra Grizu Explosion
An underground explosion occurred at the Turkish Hard Coal Authority Amasra Works Directorate in Bartın on October 13, 2022 at around 18:15. The number of workers who lost their lives after the explosion increased to 41[6].
The deaths of mine workers in the Grizu explosion at the Amasra Mine in Bartın Amasra Mine has overwhelmed all of Turkey, especially the people of the Western Black Sea region, with sadness.
In recent years, 552 miners lost their lives in the Western Black Sea mines.
Western Black Sea, the Pedestal of Turkmens
The Western Black Sea is a geography inhabited by Turks since its foundation in history. As named by Kâtip Çelebi, it is the base of Turkmens. 1100 years ago, Russian historian and traveler Letopis, Arab Ibn-i Bibi and Ibn-i Said, Italian Simon of St. Quentin named Turkey and the Turkmen homeland of the Western Black Sea with similar definitions[7].
Western Black Sea Turkey is the Essential Founding Element of Turkish History
The people of the Western Black Sea played a primary role in the complete Turkification of Anatolia. In particular, the people of this region played a leading role in three important wars:
First, in the 1071 Battle of Malazgirt, around 20,000 mercenary sipahi soldiers from the Western Black Sea region joined their compatriots in the Eastern Roman Army and opened the gates of Anatolia to the Turks.
Secondly, the commanders and soldiers from the Western Black Sea played a leading role in stopping the Entente States, especially Britain and France, which were considered invincible armadas, at Çanakkale[8].
Thirdly, in the victory of our War of Independence, like the Gallipoli War, the Western Black Sea was not only the region with the highest number of martyrs, but İnebolu also came to the fore in providing the most strategic services.
Parliamentary Research Commission
The decision on the establishment of a Parliamentary Investigation Commission to investigate the mining accident that occurred in Amasra district of Bartın and to determine measures to prevent similar accidents was published in the Official Gazette.[9]
Let's see to what extent the people of the region and civil society organizations will be taken into account.
Kâtip Çelebi's "Pedestal of Turkmens" has collapsed... It wants to rise from its ashes like a Phoenix. Let's see... Who has the courage. We will see who will take responsibility[10].
For the first time in history, the Western Black Sea must be addressed collectively
Establishing a Parliamentary Investigation Commission to investigate the Bartın Amasra mining accident in all its aspects and to determine measures to prevent similar accidents is an incomplete approach. The accidents in the entire Western Black Sea Region, where the most disasters have occurred, should be addressed and taken as a basis for regulations at the national level.
The Western Black Sea Region is a rare region with the potential to meet almost all of Turkey's needs with smart planning.[11]
On this occasion, the region should be planned as a tourism and education region.
High Speed Railways and High Basin Reservoirs should be the cornerstones of this plan. Sand can be supplied from the Western Black Sea basins, iron and steel from the Karabük Iron and Steel Factory, whose technology has been improved and capacity has been increased, energy needs from Zonguldak Lignite coal, and if clean energy is needed, then Western Black Sea Natural Gas.
Human resources can be provided by the employment of Western Black Sea people who have migrated to metropolitan cities.
Every threat contains its own opportunity.
Let a disaster bring a success story.
Doesn't the Western Black Sea deserve at least a minister from the region to be appointed to the cabinet?
The people of the region do not want an assisted poverty. Neither does it need debris that is quickly removed.
We are looking for poverty that has been eradicated and debris that never happened.
Footnotes:
[2] https://strasam.org/analiz-ve-raporlar/analiz/bati-karadeniz-sel-felaketinin-birinci-yili-1017
[6] https://www.sozcu.com.tr/2022/gundem/amasrada-maden-ocaginda-patlama-7419709/
[7] https://strasam.org/tarih/siyasi-tarih/bati-karadeniz-kastamonu-eyaleti-uzerine-136
To reach all articles on the Western Black Sea: https://strasam.org/yazar/doc-dr-selahattin-ates
[8] For the critical roles of Pashas from Kastamon in World War I and our War of Independence, and their heroism in the Balkans, Caucasus, Anatolia, Central Asia and the Middle East, see: https://strasam.org/tarih/askeri-tarih/bati-karadenizli-osmanli-pasalari-cumhuriyetin-kurulusunda-neden-yer-alamadilar-430
[9] https://www.trthaber.com/haber/gundem/bartindaki-maden-kazasi-icin-komisyon-karari-resmi-gazetede-717947.html (22.10.2022)
[10] https://strasam.org/analiz-ve-raporlar/analiz/bati-karadeniz-sel-felaketinin-birinci-yili-1017
