A family of four members from Germany tragically died on vacation in Turkey due to serious illness and subsequent hospital treatments, eventually leading to death within days. The deaths were thought to have initially been caused by food poisoning but have now been related to possible pesticide exposure inside their hotel.
German Family Trip Turns Tragic
Four members of German family are Servet Bocek, 36, his wife, Cigdem Bocek, 27, their son, Kadir, 6 and daughter, Masal, 3 years old, arrived in Istanbul from Hamburg on November 9 for a holiday. The Boceks were Turkish nationals who lived in Germany and visited their home country every year.
They went on a sightseeing tour of the city and also tried some local dishes like stuffed mussels and Kokoretsi, Anadolu Turkish news agency reported. However, on November 12, the whole family started vomiting severely and feeling nauseous.
German Family Hospital Visit & Sudden Decline
A taxi driver who rushed them to the hospital told The New York Times that Cigdem was visibly ill and Masal was vomiting. The children were discharged the same day and went back to the hotel, but their condition deteriorated overnight.
The family was rushed back to the hospital the following day after the young daughter was found lying motionless by her mother. Both children died on November 13 despite treatment. A day later, Cigdem died, and Servet passed away on November 17 after several days in intensive care.
German Family Sudden Demise Causing Investigation
The sudden deaths triggered concern across Turkey, with authorities initially suspecting food poisoning and subsequently tightening checks on street food vendors in Istanbul’s busy Ortaköy area.
However, the investigation shifted when two other tourists from the same hotel also fell sick. It has been reported that a pesticide used to treat bedbugs was sprayed in the ground-floor room of the hotel and may have traveled through the ventilation into the Bocek family’s room.
A preliminary report from the Turkish Institute of Forensic Medicine determined that the victims had “haemorrhaging on their stomach walls,” and the suspected cause was more likely chemical exposure from the hotel environment than food poisoning. The institute has taken samples from the food, tissue of the body, and hotel air, which is currently under examination; results are expected later this month.
Arrests and Ongoing Probe in German Family Sudden Demise
Eleven people have been arrested in connection with the case by Turkish officials, including the hotel owner, a number of its staff, a pesticide worker, and local food vendors.
The hotel has been sealed as forensic teams collect evidence, including water bottles, bedding, and other materials.
Turkey Government Response
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed the tragedy in Parliament, saying, “The investigation into the deaths is continuing with utmost sensitivity. Anyone at fault will be determined, and there will be no mercy for them.” The governor of Istanbul has also introduced new measures, including requiring restaurants to maintain surveillance and increasing inspections of pest control companies.
