08.06.2026 12:03
A retired police officer named Sinan Çağlayan, who came to Bursa's İznik district for a holiday from Eskişehir, plunged into the waves without hesitation to save his 8-year-old son Y.Ç., who was at risk of drowning in the lake. While the young child was rescued from the water with the help of bystanders, the selfless father was swept away by the current and lost his life. Footage emerged showing him happily playing in the lake with his son just 5 minutes before the incident.
Retired police officer Sinan Çağlayan (52), who jumped into the waves to save his 8-year-old son who was in danger of drowning in the lake in the İznik district of Bursa, where they had come for a holiday, lost his life after being caught in a current. While the young child was rescued from the water by nearby citizens, the last images emerged showing the unfortunate father happily playing with his son in the lake just 5 minutes before his death.
UPON SEEING HIS SON STRUGGLING...
The incident occurred on June 6 in Lake İznik. According to information obtained, Sinan Çağlayan, a retired police officer who came to İznik with his family from Eskişehir for a holiday, entered the lake with his 8-year-old son Y.Ç. to cool off. Young Y.Ç., who had moved away from the shore, was suddenly caught in a current and began struggling and having difficulty swimming. Noticing that his son was in danger of drowning, the devoted father Sinan Çağlayan lunged forward without hesitation to save his child. However, succumbing to the waves and strong current, the unfortunate father disappeared from sight after a while.
LITTLE CHILD RESCUED, FATHER'S LIFELESS BODY FOUND
A major rescue effort began as citizens on the shore noticed the situation. People who quickly ran to the lake managed to pull 8-year-old Y.Ç. out of the water safely. Upon notification, Mudanya Maritime Police and diver teams arrived at the scene and began a search operation in the lake. Following the efforts, the lifeless body of retired police officer Sinan Çağlayan was found. Çağlayan's funeral was laid to rest with tears in his hometown of Eskişehir.
TRAGEDY STRUCK 5 MINUTES AFTER THE PHOTO
After the painful incident, only heart-wrenching last images remained of the devoted father. It emerged that approximately 5 minutes before the incident, Sinan Çağlayan was filmed by his wife with a mobile phone camera while enjoying himself in the lake with his son. The recordings show moments of the father happily playing with his son and then continuing to swim on his own. The tragedy that occurred immediately after these happy moments plunged the entire district, especially the Koparan family, into mourning.