By By Paul Iddon May 15, 2014 in World Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that given the fact mine accidents have happened decades and centuries ago the disaster at Soma was typical. Whilst looking over the townspeople of Soma he also added, "Take America with all of its technology and everything … in 1907, 361 [miners died]." He tried to reassure the residents of Soma who have lost friends and family that, "These are usual things." "This was a tragedy that should have been avoided. The long history of deaths in mines in Turkey raised chilling questions over workers' safety. The fact that the government rejected recent calls by parliamentarians to investigate serious work-related accidents is nothing short of shocking. They are playing with peoples lives." Amnesty also cited more recent examples of mining disasters than the 19th century British examples Erdogan alluded to. It reminds us that in 1992 a coal mine in the Black Sea province of Zonguldak exploded killing 263 miners. As Hurriyet Daily News reports Mr. Erdogan has told a press conference regarding the loss of lives at the Soma mine on May 14, there he proclaimed that he "went back in British history. Some 204 people died after a mine collapsed in 1838. In 1866, 361 miners died in Britain. In an explosion in 1894, 290 died there."Whilst looking over the townspeople of Soma he also added, "Take America with all of its technology and everything … in 1907, 361 [miners died]."He tried to reassure the residents of Soma who have lost friends and family that, "These are usual things." Today's Zaman informs us that the death toll of the Soma mine disaster currently stands at 282. This constitutes the worst mining disaster Turkey has ever seen. Amnesty International issued a report whereby it declared,Amnesty also cited more recent examples of mining disasters than the 19th century British examples Erdogan alluded to. It reminds us that in 1992 a coal mine in the Black Sea province of Zonguldak exploded killing 263 miners. More about Erdogan, Turkey, SOMA, Soma mine disaster More news from Erdogan Turkey SOMA Soma mine disaster