Tragic Picnic Incident: 5 Buried Together With Unborn Babies in Their Wombs
Tragic Incident at Alpaslan-1 Dam Lake: 5 Lives Lost in a Picnic Gone Wrong
A heartbreaking incident took place yesterday at around 15:30 at the Alpaslan-1 Dam Lake, where the Karakaya family from the village of Bostankent had gone for a picnic. What was supposed to be a peaceful outing turned into a nightmare when Rabia Karakaya (13) entered the lake and started struggling in the water. In a brave attempt to save her, her sister-in-law Fatma Hediye Karakaya (22), brother Yasin Karakaya (18), sister Edanur Karakaya (20), and Eylül Tekin (15) also entered the water. Tragically, all 5 individuals disappeared in the water, prompting citizens to alert the authorities for help.
Upon receiving the distress call, multiple health, AFAD, and gendarmerie teams rushed to the scene. Despite the darkening weather, the teams and local citizens were able to retrieve the lifeless bodies of Rabia, Yasin, Edanur, and Eylül from the water. However, the search efforts continued to find Fatma Karakaya, who had been married for only a year and was 8 months pregnant. Thanks to the joint efforts of AFAD Underwater Search and Rescue, UMKE, gendarmerie, police, fire department, and Bitlis Security Directorate Underwater Group Directorate teams, Fatma’s body was eventually found and recovered. The bodies were then taken to the Muş State Hospital morgue for autopsy.
While Yasin’s friends mourned at his grave, it was revealed that Edanur was engaged and preparing for her wedding, and Fatma had recently gotten married. The siblings Rabia, Yasin, and Edanur were laid to rest next to their mother, who had passed away in 2016.
Speaking about the tragic incident, Bostankent Village Headman Ali Rıza Tekin expressed the deep sorrow felt in the village. He recounted the events leading to the loss of 5 lives and emphasized the need for better support and resources to prevent such tragedies in the future.
As the community mourns the loss of these young lives, the tragic incident serves as a reminder of the importance of water safety and the need for adequate emergency response measures to prevent similar accidents from occurring in the future. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of the victims during this difficult time.
