The speedboat boarded by a group of 16 people who wanted to go to Lesbos Island in Greece from Ayvalık district of Balıkesir took in water and sanked. 6 people, 3 of whom were babies, died. Teacher Sümeyye Avcı was one of the 6 people who drowned in their journey of freedom and hope.

Wanting to escape the persecution in Turkey, Sümeyye Avcı and her husband Erdem Avcı decided to go to the Greek Islands on a boat from the Aegean Sea. 16 people were put on a 4-person boat by smugglers. The boat capsized. Sümeyye Avcı passed away in the cold waters of the Aegean Sea. Her husband, Erdem Avcı, was saved alive, but he was sent to prison without having the last chance of suffering the pain of his wife.

The speedboat boarded by a group of 16 people who wanted to go to Lesbos Island in Greece from Ayvalık district of Balıkesir took in water and sanked. 6 people, 3 of whom were babies, died. Sümeyye Avcı, who worked as a teacher and had to embark on a journey of hope in order to escape from the oppressive environment in the country, was among those who drowned. Her husband, Erdem Avcı, who survived the disaster, was taken into custody at the scene without the chance of suffering his pain and was arrested. The funeral of Sümeyye Avcı was taken from the Bursa Forensic Medicine Institution and buried in the cemetery in the Bostancı District.

NO ONE HEARD THE SCREAMS FOR 1 HOUR
The incident in which Sümeyye Avcı also died was a complete drama. 16 people were on board the 4-person fiber boat. It was revealed that the refugees who tried to flee the country and were left at the mercy of human smugglers due to the investigations opened against them and the pressure they faced were forced to get 16 people on a 4-person boat. According to Grihat’s report, it was determined that 6 people lost their lives until the Coast Guard Command boat arrived, where families screamed for help for about 1 hour after the boat could not stand the weight and sank by taking water. At the end of the search and rescue efforts, 9 people were rescued. 16 people were put on a 4-person boat by smugglers. The boat capsized. Sümeyye Avcı passed away in the cold waters of the Aegean Sea. Her husband, Erdem Avcı, was saved alive, but he was sent to prison without having the last chance of suffering the pain of his wife.

THEY STRUGGLED AROUND THE BOAT FOR 1 HOUR
According to the statements of 9 people rescued alive by the Ayvalık Coast Guard Command; 16 people tried to hold on around the sinking boat and screamed for help. About an hour later, when the Coast Guard boat and fishing boats arrived at the scene, 6 people, including 3 babies, died.

MOTHER GÜLFEM YENİ DID NOT LEAVE HER CHILDREN’S BODY
Mother Gülfem Yeni, who lost her husband Gökhan Yeni when the boat sank, and tried to save her two babies, one 6 months old and the other 2.5 years old, by holding her in her arms, did not succeed. Both babies drowned and died. But she continued to scream for help without letting go of her lap. Gülfem Yeni was questioned by the police and prosecutor’s office, who was detained after her rescue, and was released in order to be able to see her husband and children again and attend the funeral ceremonies.
It was revealed that Bilal Çoban, who lost his daughter Rümeysa Çoban and was rescued alive, was also a jeweler in Edremit and that the Edremit Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office had a search warrant for him.

ARRESTED WITH HASAN AKSOY THE TEACHER WHO LOST HIS WIFE AND CHILD
While Hasan Aksoy, the teacher who was expelled from the Ministry of National Education, survived, his wife Sena Aksoy and their children Baha Aksoy drowned. Hasan Aksoy was arrested after being taken into custody as part of “Cemaat(community) Investigations”. His family was not allowed to attend the funeral. Sümeyye Avcı was among those who lost their lives. Erdem Avcı, the husband of Sümeyye Avcı, was rescued alive, detained and arrested.