Investigation underway for Türkiye's deadly ski resort fire

China

Investigation underway for Türkiye's deadly ski resort fire

2025-01-22 16:10 Last Updated At：01-23 01:17

An investigation has been launched over Türkiye's deadly ski resort fire, with nine people, including the hotel's owner, detained.

A fire broke out at the 12-story Grand Kartal Hotel in Turkiye's northwestern Bolu mountains shortly before 3:30 Tuesday morning. Firefighters worked relentlessly for 12 hours to bring the flames under control.

The tragic incident has already claimed 76 lives. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed that search and rescue operations at the site have been completed.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed accountability, as some guests allege negligence, with one suggesting the hotel's fire detection system failed.

The hotel, located at the popular Kartalkaya ski resort about 300 kilometers from Istanbul, had 238 registered guests. Families on holiday were caught in the chaos, with some desperately trying to escape as many locals helplessly watched the tragedy unfold.

"We heard cries for help from here. One woman even jumped out of the window. We were really scared in that situation. They tried to climb down using bedsheets," Izzet Eren Yildirim, a witness, recalled.

Aid workers and emergency responders provided assistance at the scene. One described the rescuing process as "very challenging".

"Our firefighters rescued nearly 30 citizens. Of course, there were flames, and they were trying to carry out their duties under very challenging conditions. There are still firefighting teams on standby at the scene," said a responder.

Families of victims have been waiting for updates, while many of the injured are being treated in hospitals in central Bolu. Relatives have gathered at the morgue and nearby hospitals, hoping for answers.

"Our loved one was here. We haven't been able to get any news at all, and no one is providing us with help or information. They're telling us to provide DNA samples and to go to Ankara, but we've been waiting here for hours, completely helpless," said Fatih Kaleli, relative of a victim.

Shenzhou-23 astronauts enter Tiangong space station, meet Shenzhou-21 crew

The three astronauts aboard China's Shenzhou-23 spaceship have entered the country's Tiangong space station and met with their astronaut colleagues early Monday morning, as they now begin an in-orbit crew handover.

Mission commander Zhu Yangzhu and fellow astronauts Zhang Zhiyuan and Lai Ka-ying successfully entered the station's core module Tianhe after the spaceship made a fast automated rendezvous and docked with the Tianhe module at 02:45 (Beijing Time) on Monday.

The three Shenzhou-21 crew members opened the hatch at 05:13 (Beijing Time) and greeted the new arrivals, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

The six astronauts then took group pictures for the eighth in-orbit get-together in China's aerospace history.

Notably, one of the Shenzhou-23 crew members is set to undertake a year-long stay aboard the space station, double the usual duration of previous Shenzhou missions.

The Shenzhou-23 spaceship, atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 23:08 (Beijing Time) on Sunday.

Shenzhou-23 marks the 40th flight of China's manned spaceflight program and the seventh manned flight mission since the Tiangong space station entered its application and development phase in late 2022.