Hotel Owner’s Fatal Shortcuts Led to 72 Deaths in Devastating Earthquake
Three individuals have received prison sentences for their roles in the collapse of the Isias Grand Hotel during the February 2023 earthquake in Turkey. The incident claimed 72 lives when the seven-story structure failed during the natural disaster. The hotel's owner, Ahmet Bozkurt, and architect Erdem Yilmaz, each received sentences of 18 years and five months. Mehmet Fatih Bozkurt, the owner's son, was given a 17-year, four-month sentence. The court found them guilty of causing death and injury through conscious negligence. Among the victims were members of a school volleyball team from Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus, who had traveled to Adiyaman for a tournament. The hotel also hosted approximately 40 tourist guides who attended a training program. Of the 39-member volleyball group, which included students, teachers, and parents from Famagusta Turkish Education College, only four parents survived. Scientific analysis revealed that […]
