Children Swept Away by Current in Kızılırmak: 1 Dead, 1 Missing

A tragic incident occurred around noon at 12:00 in the Burhan village vicinity of Gemerek district, Kayseri. Members of the Şahin family, who had come to the region with their families for seasonal agricultural work, wanted to wash laundry by the Kızılırmak river. Gülistan, Zerda, and Gülseren Şahin entered the water and were caught by the river's current, which had increased and become dangerous at that time. Losing their balance due to the strong pull of the water, two of the three siblings, Zerda and Gülseren, disappeared from sight due to the force of the current. After locals noticed the situation, a struggle began to save them, and Gülistan Şahin was removed from the water and taken to a safe area.

Immediately following the incident, numerous emergency teams were dispatched to the region; diver police affiliated with the Kayseri Police Department, gendarmerie teams, AFAD, and health teams participated in the efforts. Gülistan Şahin, who was pulled from the water and received first aid from health teams due to the risk of hypothermia, was then taken to the hospital for treatment. According to information from authorities, it was reported that the young girl's health condition is good and her life is not in danger. However, while the fate of the other two siblings remained uncertain, search and rescue efforts in the region shifted into high gear.

Search operations initiated under the coordination of AFAD teams and continuing on the Kızılırmak, one of the most important rivers in the Black Sea region, lasted throughout the day. In particular, the police diver team arriving from Kayseri to the region conducted diving operations at specific points to find Zerda and Gülseren Şahin, who were lost in the river. The teams faced difficult moments due to the high flow speed of the river and the abundance of debris. As a result of the scans, unfortunately, Zerda Şahin’s lifeless body was reached.

After the prosecutor's examination, the recovered body was taken to the morgu, where the family and relatives experienced their greatest grief. The news that Zerda Şahin lost her life caused deep sorrow among other families working as seasonal workers in the region and sharing the same conditions. Witnesses to the incident expressed their outrage at the situation, stating how dangerous the existing current by the river was and that the children were unaware of this risk. On the other hand, local officials and security forces decided to continue their work without slowing down to find the other child swept away by the current, Gülseren Şahin.

The efforts, continuing with the hope of finding the missing child Gülseren Şahin, continued uninterrupted until sunset. All teams dispatched to the region scanned possible locations and eddies by the river, conducting a search activity over a wide area. While their family and relatives waited by the river with anxiety and impatience for news, the teams continued their work as darkness fell, as much as possible. The body of Zerda Şahin, who lost her life after being swept away by the current in the incident, was taken to the morgu for autopsy procedures, while the other lost sibling, Gülseren Şahin, could not be reached. Security sources stated that search operations were continuing as planned and that all means had been mobilized.