A German family—mother Cigdem, father Servet, and their two children—died on 12–13 November 2023 in Istanbul after a hotel stay where pesticides were recently applied.
Holiday in Istanbul
On 9 November 2023, the Hamburg family left for a short trip to Istanbul. They enjoyed a day in the historic Egyptian Bazaar before returning to their hotel in the evening.
Chronology of Deaths
During the night of 12–13 November, the children succumbed first, likely from a food‑borne toxin. The mother followed on the same night, and the father, after a brief stay in intensive care, died at 36 on 17 November.
Medical Response
Following complaints of dizziness and nausea, the family received IV fluids and stomach medication. The children were transferred to a separate hospital where probiotics were prescribed before they were returned.
Chemical Exposure Suspected
Investigators noted that the family’s symptoms appeared after moving to a hotel that had been fumigated the previous day. Toxicological tests are still pending.
Search of Hotel Pest Control
Post‑mortem tests of the hotel revealed the presence of pesticide residues. Authorities arrested the hotel owner and two pest‑control employees. Four suspects were charged with negligent homicide.
Court‑Medical Findings
Preliminary forensic reports suggest poisoning with a phosphorous‑based pesticide that releases the lethal gas phosphine when reacting with moisture.
Historical Context of Chemical Poisoning in Turkey
Similar incidents have occurred: a child died in Izmir after a mosque pest‑control job; 28 people were poisoned in a construction site in Istanbul in May 2024; a family in Konya was attacked by an aerosol pesticide in February 2024.
Expert Analysis
Toxicologist Halis Dokgöz warns that phosphine gas has a 40‑80% fatality rate and no antidote. He stresses the need for careful handling of such chemicals in residential areas.
