Tarım Orman-İş President Şükrü Durmuş speaks to 12punto: Striking details regarding the accident that claimed the life of Bergama Forest Management Director Şahin Dönertaş

H. Deniz Yılmaz - 12punto.com.tr

The vehicle carrying Bergama Forest Management Director Şahin Dönertaş, who was on his way to respond to a forest fire in Bergama, İzmir, rolled into a ditch. Dönertaş, who was seriously injured in the accident, could not be saved despite all interventions.

(Bergama Forest Management Director Şahin Dönertaş)

Dönertaş's funeral was sent off to his hometown of Manisa.

While the news of the death of the martyr Şahin Dönertaş left his loved ones in mourning, Tarım Orman-İş President Şükrü Durmuş spoke to 12punto about the accident.

(Tarım Orman-İş President Şükrü Durmuş)

"THE GENERAL DIRECTORATE OF FORESTRY HAS A MAJOR DEFICIENCY IN COMMAND AND CONTROL"

Pointing out that the fire in Bergama lasted for 5 days, Durmuş said, “These people, along with their drivers and teams, responded to the fire day and night for 5 days. It is said that the driver fell asleep. We are not witnesses to the incident. We are not blaming the driver either. But the General Directorate of Forestry (OGM) has a major deficiency in command and control.”

"OGM IS ABUSING ITS DUTY"

Stating that the General Directorate of Forestry is abusing its duty, Durmuş expressed, “While OGM does not economize on its own prestige, it does not hire workers. The number of personnel that should be in one fire truck is 6, but they are responding with 1 person. Personnel should work in shifts, but they are not being worked because there are no replacements. While OGM should take personnel from places where there is no fire and send them there, unfortunately, it does not. For 5 days, the same driver went to the field with the director.”

“THOSE WHO MANAGE OGM ARE TRAITORS”

Durmuş continued his words as follows:

“OGM Director Bekir Karacabey is committing a constitutional crime. He ignores his responsibilities under Law No. 6831. Insistently saying ‘there is no economizing on prestige,’ he goes to the fire site in a rest bus. In my opinion, the man who does this is a traitor.”

“HELICOPTERS IN BERGAMA ARE WAITING IN THE HANGAR”

Stating that firefighting aircraft and pilots refused to take off because they could not receive payment, Durmuş said, “Because the financial problem could not be overcome, the helicopter in Bergama is still waiting in the hangar. Even more gravely, fuel was not provided to 5 helicopters that landed at Edremit Koca Seyit Airport because the previous debts to the petrol station were not paid.”

WHO IS ŞAHİN DÖNERTAŞ?

It is known that the late Bergama Forest Management Director Şahin Dönertaş lived in the Demirci district of Manisa. A forest engineer, Şahin Dönertaş had been serving as the Bergama Forest Management Director since 2021 and was a member of the TC Forest Engineers Platform. Having graduated from Salihli High School, Dönertaş graduated from Ankara University, Çankırı Faculty of Forestry.

It is known that the martyr Şahin Dönertaş was married and a father of two children.