Turkey launches investigation after a rock spire collapse kills at least three at Cappadocia tourist site on Republic Day holiday
A collapsed 'fairy chimney' rock spire at Cappadocia's Göreme Open Air Museum, where Nevsehir Governor Huseyin Kok confirmed rescue operations were still under way after the 3.15pm disaster.Rescuers scramble over rocks near the Göreme Open Air Museum after the collapse, which left up to five others injured beyond the two who died.
A volcanic rock spire — one of Cappadocia's iconic 'fairy chimneys' — collapsed near the entrance to Göreme's Open Air Museum, landing on a parking lot and burying visitors under debris. Speaking to reporters, Governor Huseyin Kok attributed the incident to heavy rainfall in the days prior, which he said had set off a landslide; rescue teams were still sifting through the rubble in search of survivors.
Two of the three confirmed dead were Turkish nationals; Justice Minister Akin Gurlek has opened an investigation into the collapse.
The incident occurred on Turkey's Republic Day public holiday, when the UNESCO World Heritage site would have been drawing some of its largest visitor numbers.
A previous rockfall struck Cappadocia in 2024 without causing casualties, and the disaster has renewed concerns about the stability of the region's fragile formations.
