Owners of hotel in Turkey, where Turkish Cypriot students stayed, arrested

A man and his sons, Ahmet, Mehmet, and Efe Bozkurt, who are owners and managers of the Isias Hotel in Adiyaman, Turkiye which collapsed and killed dozens of people, including the 35 members of the Turkish Cypriot volleyball team from Famagusta, have been detained.

As reported by Turkish Cypriot media, the owners and managers of the hotel were arrested in the course of the investigation and a decision was made by the court in Adiyaman to transfer them to Siberek prison.

It was decided to impose a ban on leaving the country and judicial control against the other suspects, Ulviye and Bozkurt, and Sioule Ozbek.

According to media report, the hotel, built as a family home, was left unoccupied for 10 years and was then sold to the Bozcourt company in 2001.

According to the operating certificate from Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the hotel’s capacity was increased from 37 to 66 rooms in 2005 and thus the hotel’s capacity increased to 132 beds. 

A photo said to have been taken in the lobby before the hotel’s collapse was shared on social media showing that some pillars in the lobby were cut off.