Young boy dies on visit to Çanakkale war memorial

Berk Durak, 14, a student from the northwestern province of Bursa, was on the Gallipoli peninsula on May 18 along with his schoolmates and teachers, when he fell down the steps leading to the restrooms at the memorial, which commemorates the 253,000 Ottoman soldiers who died in the Battle of Gallipoli in 1914.

The young boy, a student at the Bursa Osmangazi Altıparmak Fethi Açançiçek Elementary School, was rushed to the Eceabat State Hospital in an ambulance but could not be saved. 

His body was later taken to the Çanakkale State Hospital ahead of his funeral.

Bursa National Education Director Veli Sarıkaya said an investigation had been launched into whether negligence caused the young boy’s death.

“Duran died after suffering a brain hemorrhage. His head hit the ground after he slipped down the steps on a visit as part of a joint Osmangazi Municipality and Osmangazi District National Education Directorate project,” Sarıkaya added.