Gemerek, Turkey River Drowning Leaves One Child Dead, Another Missing

On 2 July, three seasonal agricultural workers—a 13‑year‑old girl, a 13‑year‑old boy and a 15‑year‑old teenager—entered the Kızılırmak River near Burhan village in the Gemerek district of Turkey to cool off. A sudden strong current swept them away.

Rescue operations involving AFAD, gendarmerie, police, divers, drones and boat crews were launched from Sivas, Samsun, Kayseri, Malatya and the local district. The 13‑year‑old girl, identified as Zerda Şahin, was recovered dead. The 15‑year‑old Gülseren Şahin was rescued and taken to hospital. Searches for the missing 13‑year‑old boy, identified as G. Ş., continue.

Local authorities confirmed the fatalities and ongoing search, expressing condolences to the families and urging continued assistance from emergency teams.