18.06.2026 11:40
A mind-boggling incident occurred in the Silifke district of Mersin. Enes Can Özata, a man who suddenly attacked the driver of a minibus carrying 12 passengers and hijacked the vehicle, spread terror. After the driver and passengers fled the minibus for their lives, the assailant drove off and crashed into an olive grove 4 kilometers away, losing his life.
The Silifke district of Mersin was shaken by a horrific event that rivals movie scenes.
SEIZED THE DRIVER'S THROAT WHILE IN MOTION
According to the information obtained, a passenger minibus with license plate 33 C 8002, operated by Furkan Gök on the Silifke-Taşucu line, picked up Enes Can Özata as a passenger at the Araplı stop. While the minibus, carrying 12 passengers, was in motion, Özata suddenly attacked the driver behind the wheel for an unknown reason. Driver Furkan Gök, who came face to face with death as the attacker seized his throat, managed to stop the vehicle by keeping his cool. The driver opened the doors, allowing the panicked passengers to evacuate the vehicle quickly. During the commotion of the evacuation, a female passenger trying to flee in a panic was slightly injured on her arm.
FLED BY HITTING VEHICLES, CRASHED INTO AN OLIVE GROVE
Taking advantage of the driver and passengers leaving the vehicle, the attacker Enes Can Özata immediately took the driver's seat. The individual first reversed the minibus, hitting a parked car, then crashed into another minibus in front, and swiftly fled the scene.
The suspect, spreading terror as he drove, lost control of the wheel after about 4 kilometers. The out-of-control passenger minibus crossed the median into the opposite lane and came to a stop by plunging into an olive grove by the roadside. Upon the report, numerous health, police, and gendarmerie teams were dispatched to the area. Health teams inspecting the wrecked vehicle determined that Enes Can Özata, who had stolen the minibus, died at the scene.
THE DRIVER DESCRIBED THOSE TERRIFYING MOMENTS
Minibus driver Furkan Gök, who narrowly escaped death and prevented a major disaster, recounted his horrifying moments with these words:
"After the person got on the vehicle, he was talking to himself and behaving strangely. Suddenly, he attacked me by grabbing my throat. I safely pulled the vehicle to the side of the road and evacuated the passengers. Meanwhile, the person took the driver's seat, started the minibus, and drove away from the scene."
PANIC MOMENTS ON CAMERA
Meanwhile, the life-and-death struggle inside the vehicle and the attacker's escape were captured second by second on the cell phone cameras of nearby citizens. The footage showed passengers fleeing the vehicle amid screams and the suspect hitting other vehicles with the minibus as he left the area, all in stark detail. A large-scale investigation into the incident by police and gendarmerie teams continues.