He lost his life in the mountainous area where he went to collect asphodel plants.

He lost his life in the mountainous area where he went to collect asphodel plants.

26.04.2026 00:01

57-year-old Erdoğan Akbaş lost his life after suffering a heart attack while collecting çiriş herb in the steep mountains on the border of Kahramanmaraş and Osmaniye. Due to the extremely steep and rocky terrain of the region, bringing the body down by land became impossible, so the Turkish Armed Forces stepped in. Akbaş's body, reached on foot by AFAD and medical teams, was taken by military helicopter and transported to the district center, where it was handed over to health units.

57-year-old Erdogan Akbas lost his life after suffering a heart attack while picking asphodel in a mountainous area in the Kadirli district of Osmaniye. Due to the steep cliffs, a military helicopter was deployed after rescuers could not reach the body.

HE DIED OF A HEART ATTACK WHILE SEARCHING FOR REMEDY

Erdogan Akbas (57), residing in the Kadirli district of Osmaniye, went with friends to a mountainous area in the Tuaras region of Kösepınarı village, Çiğşar neighborhood, affiliated with the Andırın district, to collect asphodel. While progressing over rough terrain, Akbas suddenly fell ill and collapsed. Teams were quickly dispatched to the area after a report from his friends nearby.

Field teams walking in rough terrain to reach the incident area

TEAMS WALKED KILOMETERS ON ROUGH TERRAIN

Following the report to the 112 Emergency Call Center, health, fire, and AFAD teams were directed to the area. After the vehicle road ended, teams overcame approximately 3 kilometers of steep and rugged slope on foot and upon reaching the scene, determined that Akbas had died due to a heart attack. It was reported that his two friends with him were in good health.

Rescue teams assessing the steep and rocky area

HELICOPTER WAS REQUESTED WHEN LAND EVACUATION BECAME IMPOSSIBLE

Due to the extremely steep, rocky, and stretcher-unfriendly terrain, it was not possible to bring the body down by land. A military helicopter was requested accordingly. The helicopter reached the coordinates quickly and carried out the operation by picking up the body from above the steep cliffs.

Military helicopter lifting the body from a steep rocky area

HE WAS BIDDED FINAL FAREWELL FROM ANDIRIN

The body of Erdogan Akbas, retrieved from the location via military helicopter, was brought to the Andırın district center and handed over to waiting health teams. After the autopsy and necessary procedures, the body will be handed over to his family for burial.

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