Two Turkish police officers die in car crash while chasing suspects

AYDIN

AA photo

Two police officers have died after crashing while chasing suspects in a car in the Nazilli district of the western province of Aydın on the night of Jan. 3.

The chase started after the suspects ignored police warnings to stop, Doğan News Agency reported. An announcement to police officers in Nazilli was then conveyed through walkie-talkies, saying a car was being sought due to a kidnapping case. 

The police car directed by officer Hasan Özdemir detected the car and issued a warning, but the suspects in the car refused to comply with the warning and started to try to escape from the scene. 

During the subsequent chase, a fuel tanker hit the police car and Özdemir and the other policeofficer in the car, identified as Yener Arslan, were badly wounded. 

Ambulances and fire department were called to the scene and the injured police officers were taken to the Nazilli State Hospital, where they succumbed to their injuries. 

The driver of the fuel tanker, identified as Haşim Karatay, has reportedly been detained after the incident.

Meanwhile, the three suspects in the fleeing car have also been detained, after other pursuing police officers fired shots at the car during the chase. 

The suspects - identified only by their initials as 16-year-old K.G., 17-year-old M.F.Ç., and 15-year-old E.G. - were taken to the police headquarters for interrogation.