Kocaeli search continues for missing former village headman

Search and rescue operations are underway in the Başiskele district of Kocaeli, Turkey, for Mustafa Gedikli, a former village headman (muhtar) of Yaylacık. Following heavy rainfall, Gedikli reportedly attempted to drive home from a field shack with his wife, but his vehicle was swept away by floodwaters.

Security footage confirmed the vehicle was caught in the torrent. The car was eventually located overturned in a stream bed approximately 2 kilometers from where it was last seen. However, Gedikli was not inside the vehicle when it was recovered.

Kocaeli Governor İlhami Aktaş stated that search efforts are continuing from the site of the incident toward the sea. The Governor noted that the region experienced unprecedented rainfall following orange alerts from meteorology and AFAD, leading to various local issues including landslides and flooding.