Drama for a Turkish Cypriot volleyball team that made the journey from Famagusta in the north of Cyprus to the south of Turkey a few days before the earthquake. At least 16 members of the school crew have already died when their hotel collapsed on Monday morning.
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A group of 39, including some girls and boys teams, were staying at the eight-storey Isias Hotel in Adiyaman when a major earthquake hit there. The players were in the presence of some parents, teachers and trainers of the Famagusta Turkish Maarif College to play a championship. Four members of the group managed to free themselves from under the rubble, but for sixteen all help came too late.
Meanwhile, 170 people are on their way from the port city of Famagusta, located in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, to devastated Adiyaman, determined not to return until all the remaining students have been found. All contact has been broken since Monday. Yesterday, three lifeless bodies of the volleyball group in question were found, two teachers and a senior student. This was confirmed by BBC Turkey. Searches on site are continuing.
A mother already wondered about the construction of the hotel and whether it met the safety requirements. Another woman said her niece, 12-year-old Nehir, was staying with her and joined the group just on the day of the earthquake to be with her friends. Nehir, the youngest of the team, is still missing.
A teacher who managed to free herself said she has not yet been able to sleep after the tragic event. Her own daughter is still under the rubble.
Meanwhile, the number of recovered bodies continues to rise. 18,991 people have died in Turkey alone. The number of injured in Turkey is estimated at 74,242. The death toll is expected to increase drastically, also because of the cold. More than 3,384 deaths have been found in Syria so far, according to the Syrian state agency Sana.
Hatayspor, Atsu’s club, withdraws from competition
Who is also still missing is the Ghanaian footballer Christian Atsu. His team Hatayspor has since withdrawn from the Süper Lig, the highest class of Turkish football. The club comes from Hatay province, which has been hit hard by the earthquakes. Atsu is said to still be under the rubble, as is the club’s technical director. “Hatayspor have informed us that they will not play any more matches this season,” said Ali Koc of the United Professional Clubs of Turkey in the presence of Mehmet Buyukeksi, the president of the Turkish Football Federation TFF. Gaziantep FK, from the province of the same name, which is close to the epicenter, may also withdraw. Both clubs keep their right to a return to the Süper Lig. The resumption of the competition has now been postponed to March 3.
Read also. Club doctor and broker of Atsu: “Christian was not in the hospital, he is still missing”
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