Prosecutor fined over mysterious helicopter crash case

KAHRAMANMARAŞ – Radikal

A helicopter carrying Great Union Party (BBP) leader Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu crashed in a mountainous region in the southern province of Kahramanmaraş while it was traveling from an election rally on March 25, 2009. DHA photo

A prosecutor investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of former Great Union Party (BBP) leader, Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu, has been fined by the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) for shortcomings in his crime scene investigation.

The HSYK found Kahramanmaraş Prosecutor Uğur Koç at fault in his inspection, while issuing him a reprimand for acting improperly in the probe into the 2009 helicopter crash that killed Yazıcıoğlu, according to daily Radikal.

A helicopter carrying Yazıcıoğlu crashed in a mountainous region in the southern province of Kahramanmaraş while it was traveling from an election rally on March 25, 2009. All five passengers on the helicopter were found dead when the wreckage was located 47 hours later, including journalist İsmail Güneş, who called for help before succumbing to injuries he sustained in the accident.

Evidence such as parts of the wreckage was not collected, according to the HSYK’s verdict, adding that those who failed to search for the aircraft’s coordinates were not subsequently investigated.

The delay in reaching the wreckage caused an uproar in some circles, leading to allegations that Yazıcıoğlu had been deliberately left to die, while later reports also indicated that the flight record devices had been removed from the helicopter with a screwdriver after the accident.