Statement from the Antalya Governor's Office regarding bodies found on the beach

In Aksu, Antalya, a male body was found on the beach of a 5-star hotel. The number of bodies found in the region in the last 5 days has risen to 6.

While the possibility of a sunken boat in the region is being investigated, the family of 18-year-old Merve Şevval Elmas, who went missing in Antalya 13 days ago, has arrived in Antalya from Istanbul to provide DNA samples to see if one of the bodies belongs to her. Meanwhile, a statement has been released by the Antalya Governor's Office regarding the bodies found one after another.

STATEMENT FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE

The statement from the Governor's Office is as follows:

"As a result of the examinations conducted by crime scene investigation teams regarding the lifeless bodies found on the Antalya coast, which have appeared in the press and media; it is assessed that one of the 6 lifeless bodies washed ashore belongs to M.Ş.E., who went missing some time ago. The final result will be revealed following the forensic medical examination. It has been determined that the shoes and clothing belonging to the other 5 lifeless bodies were manufactured in Syria. The Embassy of Lebanon in Ankara reported on December 11, 2023, that a boat carrying approximately 90 people had departed from the coastal region between Lebanon and Syria toward Cyprus, that contact with the boat was lost hours later, and that the boat subsequently went missing.

When the meteorological records of the last week are examined, it has been determined that the prevailing wind came from the South and the waves from the South East, and it is assessed that as a result of the probable sinking of the boat, the bodies in question may have drifted to the coastline of our province due to currents, wind, and waves. There have been no reports of accidents/incidents or missing persons regarding any irregular migrant group in the province of Antalya in 2023-2024."