Shipyard accident kills four workers in northern Turkey

Four shipyard workers were killed Saturday when a scaffolding collapsed in Ustaoğlu Shipyard in Ereğli, a town of the northern province of Zonguldak.
The accident happened at around 4:30 p.m. when a scaffolding built in the cargo hold of a ship being repaired collapsed, causing six workers to plummet to the ship’s floor from a height of 15 meters.
Thirty-four-year-old Şenol Tönen, a father of two, 33-year-old Osman Yüksel, a father of three, and 37-year-old Mehmet Coşkun, a father of one, were reported dead at the scene, while Tuncay Güner died at the hospital. Injured workers Abdullah Fidan and Levent Çimen were taken to Ereğli Ekomar Hospital.
Relatives of the injured workers came to Ustaoğlu Shipyard to react to the accident. Those who tried to enter the administration facility of the shipyard were removed by security personnel and police and gendarmerie forces were sent to the scene of the incident.
The bodies of the killed workers were taken to the Ereğli Ekomar Hospital morgue. An investigation has been started regarding the accident.
This latest incident has added to a long string of fatal shipyard accidents that have claimed more than 135 workers’ lives. The last fatal accident happened July 15, killing 36-year-old Nurettin Bingöl in Torlak Shipyard in Tuzla.