Another Dead In Tuzla Shipyards

Worker Selim Sevgili (30) dies in Dentas shipyard in Tuzla, Istanbul, when the bunker doors of a ship he was working on closed on him. With this last incident, the number of workers who died in Tuzla shipyards rose to 119, 17 of them within the last year.

Shipyard workers' union Limter-Is is going to stage a protest, calling on authorities to take action to prevent more deaths.

Sevgili was called to work on Sunday even though he was on leave. Seriously hurt when the doors weighing tons closed on him, he lost his life while being commuted to hospital. Two other workers avoided the incident jumping inside the bunker, it was reported. The hydraulic doors may have closed accidentally by another man, it was alleged. Sevgili had worked for another firm and when he couldn't receive paychecks moved to this shipyard, the union told reporters.

"Sundays are off work in the shipyards but when called, he went to work afraid of being sacked" Sevgili's brother told Vatan daily. "We don't know even if he's social insurance or not."

Minister of Transpostation Binali Yıldırım reacted to questions about the incident. "In the days of economic crisis, there's no such thing as making Sunday's holidays. I'm working, you're working, we must all work," he said.(BÇ/AGÜ)