Turkish architect found after 4 days in Istanbul forest dies in hospital
Rescue teams provided first aid to Ece Gurel, a 36-year old Turkish landscape architecht. (AA Photo)
Ece Gurel, a 36-year-old landscape architect who went missing in Istanbul’s Belgrad Forest, has died in hospital four days after being found by rescue teams.
Gurel was discovered late Friday night in a steep forested area and was immediately transferred to Maslak Acibadem Hospital. Medical evaluations revealed that Gurel had suffered from hypothermia after being exposed to cold weather for an extended period.
During treatment, Gurel’s heart stopped temporarily but was revived by doctors and placed in intensive care. However, despite all medical efforts, she could not be saved.
Family and friends devastated
As the tragic news reached Gurel’s family, a tense atmosphere developed outside the hospital. Friends and relatives arrived to provide support, while police teams comforted Gurel’s mother, Gulsen Kocoglu, and father, Muharrem Kocoglu.
Forensic teams conducted investigations at the hospital, where security measures were heightened. Gurel’s body was later transferred to the Forensic Medicine Institute for an autopsy.
What happened?
On March 2, Gurel left her home in Kagithane’s Gultepe neighborhood, telling her family she intended to visit Istanbul’s Belgrad Forest. When she did not return, a large-scale search operation was launched, involving multiple search and rescue teams.
On March 4, Gurel’s mobile phone and personal belongings were found during the search operation. After four days of extensive searching, she was found around 1:15 a.m. in a rugged area of the forest.
