Tragic end to Turkish family’s iftar journey with 4 dead at infamous overpass

Solemn Ramadan evening turned tragic for the Aytekin family, as their car was crushed under an overturned truck trailer on Bakırkoy’s Rauf Orbay Street, an area notorious for similar fatal accidents over the years

A devastating accident on Rauf Orbay Street in Istanbul’s Bakırkoy district claimed the lives of four family members, casting a shadow over the community.

The incident occurred on Monday evening when a truck collided with an overpass, causing its trailer to topple onto a car. The deceased, identified as Recep Aytekin, 45, Guler Aytekin, 44, Sultan Aytekin, 67, and Merve Aytekin, 16, were en route to the Florya Social Facilities for an iftar meal during Ramadan.

This tragic incident is not an isolated case but part of a concerning pattern on Rauf Orbay Street. In 2019, the same truck collided with this overpass. In another incident in 2023, the trailer of a truck that struck the overpass overturned onto a vehicle driven by then-Anadolu Efes player Bryant Dunston.

The road has a disturbing history of truck accidents. One such incident took place in October 2023 when a truck transporting new TOGG vehicles collided with the Atakoy Marmaray Bridge. Further incidents in 2022 and 2023 involved trucks hitting the same overpass, with non-fatal but significant consequences.

Following the recent accident, the Istanbul Governor’s Office announced, “A truck overturned at the Havuzlu Junction underpass in front of the Yesilyurt Air War School in Bakirkoy at around 18:45 (6:45 p.m.), leading to four fatalities in the crushed car.” They confirmed the initiation of an investigation into the accident.

The recurrent accidents on this stretch of road have raised serious concerns about road safety. The local community, repeatedly exposed to such accidents, has been calling for enhanced safety measures. This latest tragedy, occurring during the holy month of Ramadan, has stressed the urgency of addressing the safety issues on Rauf Orbay Street to prevent further loss of life.

Source: Newsroom