19.01.2026 14:36
Mustafa Uçar, a 31-year-old man who left his home saying "I'm going hunting" in the Alaplı district of Zonguldak, has been missing for 20 hours. Despite heavy snowfall, more than 100 people, including AFAD, UMKE, gendarmerie, and volunteers, are participating in the search efforts.
Mustafa Uçar, a 31-year-old man who left his home in Zonguldak's Alaplı district yesterday evening saying "I'm going hunting," has not been heard from for 20 hours. Despite heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures, over 100 people, including AFAD, UMKE, gendarmerie, and volunteers, have been mobilized with thermal cameras and search dogs. Search efforts for Mustafa Uçar, a security officer at the Karadeniz Ereğli Courthouse, who left his home around 4:00 PM yesterday and was last seen around 6:00 PM in the Sindelli neighborhood of Çengelli village in Alaplı district, continue uninterrupted on the second day.
THE STATE IS ON THE GROUND WITH ALL ITS RESOURCES
Following the incident, Alaplı District Governor Selçuk Köksal, AFAD Provincial Director Ali Kartal, and Provincial Gendarmerie Commander Colonel Orhan Kaş visited the scene to closely monitor the efforts. More than 100 people, consisting of gendarmerie, AFAD, UMKE, Alaplı Fire Department, and volunteer teams, are tracking in a 10-kilometer radius under heavy snowfall.
"OUR TECHNICAL AND PHYSICAL MONITORING CONTINUES"
In statements made at the search site, Alaplı District Governor Selçuk Köksal emphasized that all state elements are on the ground and stated: "First of all, we send our best wishes to his family. Our brother Mustafa Uçar last left his family at 4:00 PM. He was seen in this area around 6:00 PM. Since the moment the report was received, all elements of our state, along with volunteer elements and Alaplı Fire Department teams, have been working tirelessly until morning. Today, despite the difficult conditions, search efforts are ongoing in a 10-kilometer radius both from the air and on the ground with dogs. We hope to reach our brother safe and sound. We thank all our colleagues on duty. We believe it will be positive. On the ground, gendarmerie, AFAD, UMKE, and our villagers are continuing the search with more than 100 personnel. He was last seen in this area. No one has seen him since. His phone is off. There is a possibility of descending from our current location to Alaplı, Ereğli. We are near the coastal road. He may have gone down. Technically, his phone last sent a signal yesterday afternoon. We also have technical investigations. The phone is not sending a signal. Both our technical and physical monitoring continue. If the weather conditions were good, we would have used technology extensively, but there is heavy snowfall. Everyone is doing their best. Our state is monitoring with all its units. Our governor has been following it moment by moment since yesterday. We are currently continuing our work on the ground."
"IT HASN'T STOPPED SNOWING SINCE LAST NIGHT"
Çengelli Village Muhtar Süleyman Özdemir stated that they are supporting the teams, saying, "A report came in around 8:00 PM yesterday. We came to search for our friend. We are searching with gendarmerie teams, AFAD, and UMKE. Anyone who sees or hears anything should reach out. It has been snowing continuously since last night. It is still snowing. We need to reach our brother somehow," he said. In the area where physical searches are ongoing in addition to technical monitoring, the increasing snow thickness makes the work more challenging, but the teams continue their waiting and search activities at critical points.