Turkish major dies after seven years in coma

AFYONKARAHİSAR – Doğan News Agency

A Turkish soldier, who was injured in an outlawed Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK) attack in the eastern province of Erzincan in 2008, has died after remaining in a coma for seven years.

Maj. Yılmaz Tankül, who was a Gendarmerie captain at the time, died on March 21 after seven years of treatment in intensive care unit.

Following the attack, Tankül was taken to the Gülhane Military Academy of Medicine (GATA) hospital in Ankara, where he remained in an intensive care unit until his death. His medical condition worsened in the evening hours of March 21, after which Tankül finally succumbed to his injuries.

The General Staff issued a message of condolence from Chief of General Staff Gen. Necdet Özel on its official website.

Tankül’s dead body was taken to his hometown of Afyonkarahisar from Ankara by a military aircraft on March 22. Top military personnel and officials, along with scores of people, attended the funeral ceremony in Sultandağı district. In addition, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu sent wreaths to the funeral.

Upon the notice of the villagers, Tankül and accompanying troop units arrived at a village in the Kemah district where the militants allegedly collected supplies on Aug. 11, 2008. On their way back, the militants remotely exploded the mine which they previously laid on the road, killing nine soldiers and injuring two, including Tankül.

Tankül was married and a father of two children.