01.06.2026 09:41
New details have emerged about the bus disaster in Denizli that claimed the lives of 8 people. It was learned that the driver, who was reported to have checked the vehicle's malfunction approximately 20 minutes before the accident, had received 36 traffic fines in the past, including for drunk driving.
The details that emerged from the bus disaster in the Sarayköy district of Denizli, where 8 people lost their lives, sparked outrage.
8 PEOPLE DIED HORRIBLY The accident occurred at night near the Tırkaz neighborhood of the Aydın-Denizli Highway. The passenger bus of Pamukkale Tourism, operating the Izmir-Antalya route, went out of control after the driver lost control of the steering wheel, hitting the barriers. Following the impact, the bus caught fire, and numerous medical, fire, police, and gendarmerie teams were dispatched to the scene. In the disaster, a total of 8 people, including a baby, lost their lives, and 33 people were injured. The injured were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.
SHE SHIELDED HER BABY The vehicle, carrying 38 passengers and 3 staff, turned into a ball of fire. Driver Mustafa Fevzi Merdun, along with passengers Merve Erik, Fatma Kartal, Gülitay Boğa, Zehra Eyiol, Hayriye Arıkan, Civan Şen, and her 9-month-old son Eyüp Miraç Şen, whom she covered to protect during the accident, died, while 33 people were injured. Of the injured taken to hospitals, 17 were discharged. Of the 16 still under treatment, 2 are in critical condition.
THEY COULDN'T OPEN THE DOORS The fire started when the bus scraped against the barriers. Passengers who managed to break the windows and get out could save their lives. The extent of the disaster grew because the doors wouldn't open. Since the tachograph and vehicle camera burned, the exact cause of the accident is still being investigated.
THE DRIVER HAD DONE A MALFUNCTION CHECK 20 MINUTES EARLIER In their statements to the gendarmerie, the injured said that about 20 minutes before the accident, driver Mustafa Fevzi Merdun pulled the bus over due to a malfunction, got out to check, and then continued on his way.
Driver Mustafa Fevzi Merdun HE HAD BEEN PENALIZED 36 TIMES According to a news report on Nefes, while the accident is believed to have occurred due to Merdun falling asleep or being distracted, it was revealed that he had received traffic fines 36 times, including for drunk driving.