Family of missing architect Ece Gürel, found after 4 days, speaks out: Here are the first images...

The Istanbul Governor's Office announced that Ece Gürel, who had gone to the Belgrade Forest for a walk and had not been heard from since, was found alive in a rugged forested area as of 01:15.

The search efforts launched to find landscape architect Gürel (36), who left her home in the Gültepe neighborhood of Kağıthane on Sunday, March 2, saying she was going to the Belgrade Forest, yielded results on the fourth day.

Search teams consisting of 4 riot police officers and 12 members of non-governmental organizations, who were conducting search operations in the forested area, found Gürel sleeping at 01:15. It was learned that Gürel was conscious when she was awakened.

The woman, who was allowed to speak with her husband Sezer Gürel on the phone, was then taken to an ambulance. Gürel, who was found to have minor injuries, was treated by medical teams as a precaution.

Upon receiving the good news, Sezer Gürel was moved to tears of joy. Health and search and rescue teams tried to console him. Sezer Gürel thanked the teams who found his wife.

Police teams closed the roads leading to the forested area and took extensive security measures. In addition to UMKE and police teams, medical teams were also dispatched to the forest.

In a statement made by the Istanbul Governor's Office, it was stated, "Ece Gürel, who went to the Belgrade Forest for a walk and was not heard from afterwards, was found alive in a rugged forested area as of 01:15 on March 6. Ece Gürel, who was found as a result of search and rescue efforts coordinated by AFAD, has been taken to the hospital by medical teams."

On the other hand, images regarding the moment Ece Gürel was found have also emerged. In the footage recorded with a mobile phone camera, it can be seen that Gürel is conscious.

JOY OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS

The mother, father, and husband of Ece Gürel, who was taken to Maslak Acıbadem Hospital by ambulance, embraced each other upon receiving the good news.

Her husband Sezer Gürel, in a statement to the press members waiting in the Belgrade Forest, stated that they were very happy and said, "May God be pleased with everyone. We were cold, we were freezing. What did she do there for days? I saw a photo of my wife, I felt very relieved. I will never leave her side again. I won't ask her another question, I won't leave her again."

Father Muharrem Koçoğlu thanked the teams participating in the search efforts and said, "My God has gifted her back to me. May God be pleased with everyone who worked to find her. I am a witness to how everyone worked."

Mother Gülşen Koçoğlu also expressed that they had truly experienced a great miracle, saying, "We received good news at the moment my hopes were fading. When I first received the news, I jumped for joy."

WHAT HAPPENED?

After the relatives of landscape architect Ece Gürel (36), who left her home in the Gültepe neighborhood of Kağıthane on Sunday, March 2, saying she was going to the Belgrade Forest, reported her missing, a search was launched with the participation of police, AFAD, UMKE, AKUT, and search and rescue teams from numerous district municipalities, and Istanbul Fire Department Underwater Search and Rescue (İSAK) divers also conducted dives in the Valide Sultan Dam.

A mobile phone and some personal belongings determined to belong to Gürel were found during the work carried out in the Belgrade Forest, and the moments the missing woman left her home, as well as the moments she got off the IETT bus she took to go to the forest at the entrance of the forest, were reflected on in-vehicle cameras.