Turkey's Emergency Services found the bodies of 28 Turkish miners who died in a methane blast at a coal mine in Zonguldak on the Black Sea coast, Energy Minister Taner Yildiz was quoted as saying by the CNN Turk website.
The explosion took place Monday at a depth of 540 meters. Thirty miners were trapped.
Due to the increase in the number of coal mine accidents, Turkish President Abdullah Gul ordered a detailed investigation into security measures May 19.
Mine accidents in Turkey take place frequently, mainly due to aging equipment, as well as high concentrations of methane. A major accident occurred in Turkey in 1992 in Zonguldag where 270 people died as a result of a methane explosion.
In February 2010, 17 people died as in a methane explosion at a coal mine in Balikesir.