19.10.2026 10:43
In the flood in Sarıyer Ayazağa on October 14, a driver stranded in his vehicle was rescued by local shopkeeper Recep Uzunkavak, who entered the water and pulled him out through the windshield. While the rescue moments were captured on security camera, Uzunkavak, who said everything in his shop was lost in the flood, said he is waiting for support from the state.
In the flood caused by heavy rain in Sarıyer Ayazağa, local shopkeeper Recep Uzunkavak, who risked his life by entering the water, rescued the driver stranded in his vehicle through the windshield. Those moments were captured by a security camera.
After the heavy rain that affected Istanbul in recent days, many businesses in Sarıyer Ayazağa Neighborhood were flooded, and vehicles were swept away along with the flood. Some vehicles remained stranded in the water. In Ayazağa Neighborhood, a vehicle and its driver were stranded in the water. When the stranded driver was unable to get out of the vehicle despite all his efforts, local shopkeeper Recep Uzunkavak rushed to help. Risking his life, Recep Uzunkavak entered the floodwater and pulled the driver out through the windshield of the vehicle where he was trapped. Those moments were captured by a security camera. The footage shows a vehicle stranded in the water with its driver, and shopkeeper Recep Uzunkavak rescuing the panicked man through the windshield.
HE WAS FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE INSIDE THE VEHICLE
Business owner Recep Uzunkavak, who rescued the driver stranded in the flood, said, “As a result of the flood on October 14, I left everything in my shop. A driver was stranded inside a vehicle. The water was up to the hood and the window. We saw that there was water inside the vehicle too, and I saw that the man was fighting for his life there. I had taken it upon myself to save the man at the risk of my life. I went and tried to rescue the man from there. I struggled quite a bit. We got the man out through the window. We couldn't get him out through the door either; it really exhausted me. I lost my balance. But we were able to save him, thank God. I came here and immediately took off my T-shirt. I told my wife that if I hadn't gone, the man would have died. It wasn't from the cold; I was shaking a lot from that composure. My body had gotten cold,” he said.
WORLDLY POSSESSIONS CAN BE REPLACED, BUT A HUMAN LIFE CANNOT
Recep Uzunkavak, who said that day he was in no position to save anything from the flood, said, “Everything happened very quickly. This place was destroyed in about 5 minutes. We were left in the flood and the water. The shop I had built with my wife by scraping together was ruined and gone. Electronic items were gone. Spot machines were gone. Whatever there was, everything I had was gone. The only thing I am happy about is saving the lives of the staff working with me. Saving the life of a person who was drowning. That is all I am happy about. Worldly possessions can be replaced somehow, but a person's life can never be replaced. As a citizen, I think I did more than my part. My loss is very great. We expect our state to reach out to us regarding the situation in which we have been victimized,” he said.