A German family’s holiday in Turkey ended in tragedy when all four members died following a suspected case of severe food poisoning.
The family—parents Cigdem Bocek, 27, and Servet, 38, along with their children Kadir, 6, and Masal, 3—traveled from Hamburg to Istanbul on November 9. Two days later, they fell critically ill after eating various local foods during an outing in the city.
Timeline of Events
On November 11, the family visited Istanbul’s Besiktas district, where they sampled midye (stuffed mussels with lemon), a popular Turkish street food. They later dined at a restaurant, ordering kokorec (made from calf intestines) and tavuk tantuni (a chicken wrap), before purchasing Turkish delights in the Fatih neighborhood.
Shortly after returning to their hotel, the children began experiencing severe nausea and vomiting. Their parents took them to hospital but soon developed identical symptoms—nausea, vomiting, and dizziness.
After treatment at two medical facilities, the family was discharged and returned to their hotel. However, their condition rapidly worsened. The mother and both children died on Wednesday, November 13. The father remained hospitalized but succumbed to his illness on Monday, November 18.
Investigation Underway
Istanbul’s Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched a comprehensive investigation into the deaths. Seven individuals have been detained, including street food vendors who served the family.
Authorities are examining multiple potential causes: contaminated mussels, food from the restaurant, or chemicals used by pest control services at the hotel. The Forensic Medicine Institute is analyzing samples from the food establishments, and post-mortem examinations are being conducted on all four victims.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed the incident Monday, stating: “The investigation is currently being carried out comprehensively. It will be revealed what caused the deaths.”
Adding to concerns, two other tourists at the same hotel were hospitalized on Saturday with similar symptoms of nausea and vomiting.
The children’s grandfather has called for answers and questioned whether other guests have been affected.
Broader Context
This tragedy follows other recent food poisoning incidents in Europe. In August, two people in Italy died after eating sandwiches contaminated with botulism toxins from a food truck in Calabria, with more than a dozen others hospitalized. Botulism, caused by toxins from Clostridium botulinum bacteria, is a rare but potentially fatal condition that attacks the nervous system and can cause breathing difficulties and muscle paralysis. It typically results from improperly processed food and is fatal in approximately 10 percent of cases.
