Death in Yalova raises Turkey's shipyard toll to 141

A 23-year-old shipyard worker was killed in Yalova last week, bringing Turkey's shipyard accident death toll to 141 since 1985, daily Radikal reported Thursday. Uğur Türkkan, 23, was killed Friday when a large metal plate being lifted by a mobile crane fell on him and three other workers. Türkkan was killed at the site of the accident, and the other three were critically injured, Radikal reported.
The Shipyard Workers Association, or TİBDER, criticized the circumstances that led to Türkkan's death, saying that a different type of crane should have been used.
"All materials used in shipbuilding is extremely heavy and should be handled with stationary cranes that are up to certain standards," TİBDER said in a written statement. "But there were no cranes in this shipyard to lift such heavy objects. Lifting the enormous metal plate with a mobile crane is plain murder."
Türkkan's funeral was held Sunday. He was married two months ago.
Türkkan is the 141st worker to die in a shipyard accident since 1985. Nine workers were killed in the first eight months of 2010. This year's first shipyard death also happened in Yalova.