Turkey is mourning the mining tragedy in the Soma settlements. Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said, the death toll has gone up to 282.

Around 120 miners were still trapped underground and their chances of survival is receding because of the lethal carbon monoxide gas inside the mine. 363 people have been rescued while 787 people were at work in the mine in the Manisa province in Western Turkey.

Prime Minister Erdogan has declared a state of national mourning for three days in the memory of those who perished in the tragedy. The incident took place on Tuesday at the time of shift change when the private mine collapsed after a fire and explosion due to an electrical fault.

The mining accident has brought into focus mine safety issues in Turkey. Labour Unions in Turkey under the banner of Public Workers Union Confederation, KESK have called a nationwide strike today to protest against the state of mine safety measures in private mines in the country.

It has asked the Government to fix the responsibility for the mining accident, In a statement it said those who promote privatization and jeopardize the lives of workers for the sake of reducing costs are the real culprits.

Anxious relatives, family members and protesters held demonstrations in Soma, Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Diyarbakir and other parts of Turkey against the government's failure to act on safety concerns at the private mines.

Police had to fire tear gas and water cannons to disperse the protesting university students in Ankara.