Three Slemani Children Missing After Boat Capsizes in Turkey
At a Glance
- Three children from a family in Slemani are dead or missing after an inflatable boat capsized during an attempted crossing from Turkey to Greece.
- The children’s parents were rescued by the Turkish Coast Guard, according to their maternal uncle.
- The family says smugglers promised a safe crossing before the journey.
- Relatives are appealing for urgent assistance as the children’s whereabouts remain unconfirmed.
Information obtained by Channel8 indicates that three children from a family in Slemani are dead or missing after an inflatable boat carrying their family capsized during an attempted crossing from Turkey to Greece. Their parents were rescued by the Turkish Coast Guard, while relatives say they have received no confirmed information about the children’s fate.
Key Statements and Focus Area
- Family’s account: "Smugglers had promised the family a safe route across the water." - The children’s maternal uncle, Barzan Raza
- Capsizing: "The inflatable boat punctured and overturned shortly after entering the water, throwing the family into a strong current." - The children’s maternal uncle, Barzan Raza
- Urgent appeal: Relatives are calling for assistance while the parents remain in Turkey awaiting information about their children.
The family of five travelled from Erbil to Turkey on October 13, according to Barzan Raza, the brother of the children’s mother. He told Channel8 that the parents, Harem Mohammed, born in 1985, and Hozan Raza, born in 1989, had paid $50,000 for a planned journey to Greece.
Their children are Hastiyar Harem, born in 2014, Haryad Harem, born in 2016, and Mela Harem, born in 2021.
Raza said his brother-in-law contacted relatives on Wednesday before attempting the crossing and told them he had bought an inflatable boat and other equipment. According to Raza, smugglers had convinced the family that the stretch of water was narrow and shallow enough to cross safely, claiming they had taken two other families along the same route.
Raza said the family boarded the inflatable boat with two men allegedly sent by the smuggler. He said the boat had travelled only a short distance into the water when Turkish Coast Guard patrol lights appeared.
According to his account, the family panicked, and the boat struck a submerged tree trunk, puncturing the inflatable vessel and causing it to overturn. The occupants fell into the water and were swept away by the current.
Raza said his brother-in-law managed to save his wife, while the two men accompanying the family fled. He said the parents were subsequently rescued by the Turkish Coast Guard.
Children’s Whereabouts Remain Unconfirmed
The parents alerted the Turkish Coast Guard and asked for a search for their children, Raza said. The family has not received confirmed information about the children’s whereabouts or condition.
Raza added that unverified reports had raised the possibility that one of the children survived, but relatives had no confirmation. The family is appealing to the relevant authorities for urgent assistance in locating the children and establishing what happened.
Channel8 has not independently verified the family’s account or the circumstances of the incident.
FYI
Dangerous sea crossings between Turkey and Greece remain a route used by people seeking to reach Europe. Inflatable boats, overcrowding, inadequate safety equipment, and changing sea conditions can expose passengers to serious risks.
People-smuggling journeys often involve substantial payments and promises of safe passage that may not reflect the actual conditions of the crossing.
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