18.10.2026 14:30
The lifeless body of one of the two people who went missing in a car swept away by a stream that overflowed due to heavy rainfall in Istanbul's Pendik district has been reached. Of the 3 people in the vehicle, one escaped by breaking the window and holding onto a branch, while the other 2 disappeared in the floodwaters. Sad news came during search efforts involving AFAD, AKUT, fire brigade, and gendarmerie teams, while efforts continue to find the other missing person.
Heavy rainfall affecting Istanbul caused flooding in the Göçbeyli Neighborhood of Pendik. Due to the downpour that began in the evening and intensified throughout the night, Büyük Dere (Göçbeyli Stream) overflowed, and the car with license plate 34 HER 50 was swept away by the current.
As the car containing 3 people was swept away by floodwaters, M.D.E. in the vehicle managed to escape on their own. D.A. and F.D. disappeared in the current.
M.D.E., who was taken to a safe area with the help of nearby citizens, was taken to hospital after initial intervention by medical teams.
BODY OF ONE OF THE 2 MISSING PEOPLE FOUND
Sad news came from the large-scale search efforts launched in the area after the incident. The lifeless body of one of the 2 people who disappeared after being caught in the floodwaters was reached.
While no information has yet been shared regarding the identity of the deceased, search and rescue teams continue their work to find the other missing person.
TEAMS HAD STARTED SEARCHING AT 3 DIFFERENT POINTS
Following the report, Underwater Search and Rescue (SAK), AKUT, AFAD, fire brigade and gendarmerie teams were dispatched to the area.
On the possibility that the car and missing people may have been swept away by the current, simultaneous search work was launched at three different points.
Since the incident occurred at the provincial border between Istanbul and Kocaeli, Gebze Municipality Search and Rescue (GEAK) and Çayırova Municipality Search and Rescue (ÇAK) teams also supported the efforts.
ESCAPED BY BREAKING THE WINDOW AND HOLDING ONTO A BRANCH
Ahmet Özyurt, the headman of Gebze's Kadıllı Neighborhood, in his statement after the incident, recounted what the person who escaped from the car experienced.
Özyurt said, "What the person, who was slightly injured in the incident, told us was this: after being swept along in the water in the car for about 100 or 150 meters, they said they broke the window and got out. The person who survived said they got out of the water by holding onto a branch. The flow rate of the stream is very high. Location-wise, the place where the incident happened is right on the border of the two cities. The waters of the stream go to Ömerli Dam. Teams brought a drone and conducted a search, but there has been no development so far."
SEARCHES CONTINUE FOR THE OTHER MISSING PERSON
In the efforts being carried out with difficulty due to the high flow rate of the stream and adverse terrain conditions, search and rescue teams continue their activities in the area to reach the other missing person.