Photo of Turkish father holding hand of dead daughter goes viral

Feb 8 2023

The photograph of a Turkish father holding the hand of his unfortunately deceased daughter as rescuers and other first responders attempt to assist as many people as possible has gone viral on social media.

The two earthquakes which hit Syria and Turkey have reportedly skyrocketed the death toll to around 8,000, but this is expected to only increase in the coming hours.

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The image reportedly showed Mesut Hancer, who holds the hand of his 15 year old Irmak, who was tragically killed after the building collapsed. Despite the freezing cold temperatures hitting the country, the father did not let go of his daughter’s hand as he awaited for rescuers to remove the rubble in order to retrieve the body.

The epicentre of the first earthquake was the Pazarcık district of Kahramanmaraş, which lies in south-east Turkey. The initial, 7.8-magnitude earthquake was followed, hours later, by a second quake that measured 7.7 magnitude.

As rescuers manage to pull out people, including the children and in some cases even pets, not all were so fortunate in the horrific event which struck the two countries.

If you wish to support those suffering, you can check our page to donate and/or find ways of assisting.

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Calls for caution after pole falls in front of Luqa’s Labour Party club

Calls for safety after pole falls in front of Luqa’s Labour Party club

Feb 8 2023

MaltaDaily was informed by a member of the Ħal Luqa council that a pole had fallen in front of the Labour Party club in the locality.

The source informed this news platform that no one was injured during the incident but the debris caused due to the incident is still scattered across the pavement and the surrounding area.

Images also show that the situation is being addressed by the authorities. It is currently unclear what caused the pole to fall, but caution is advised when commuting in the area.

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Flights to Istanbul cancelled as country struggles with earthquake

Feb 8 2023

A quick search on the Malta International Airport’s Arrivals & Departures page indicates that two flights from Malta to Istanbul, Turkey have been cancelled.

Flight 6E 4054, scheduled for 09:25 and Flight TK 1370 scheduled for the same time were cancelled, most likely due to the country declaring a state of emergency following the massive earthquakes which hit the country and neighbouring Syria.

It seems as though other flights scheduled for later on to Istanbul, flights 6E 4071 and TK 1372, are still listed as ‘on time’. However, given the ongoing crisis, passengers are urged to keep up to date or contact the respective airport authorities for more information.

The arrivals section also indicates that flights 6E 4023 and TK 1369 heading to Malta from Istanbul have been cancelled as well.

According to latest reports, the earthquake death toll has risen to at least 8,000. However, this is expected to significantly rise as rescuers work tirelessly to help those requiring aid.

This is a developing story.

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Youth trapped under earthquake rubble reports through TikTok

Feb 8 2023

A video uploaded by a Syrian refugee trapped under rubble caused by the earthquake which hit both Turkey and Syria shows the ongoing crisis many are facing as they await rescue.

In the video, uploaded to TikTok page Janoob, the young man says that the experience is one that only those who have done through it can speak about.

Surrounded by rubble and sitting on what seems to have once been his bed, the screams for help of other people trapped under debris could be heard as the young man explains what he’s been through.

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Despite the video ending with the young man still trapped, the comments shared allege that he was in fact later rescued and transported hospital.

If you wish to contribute to all those undergoing this horrific situation, one can either donate to the Turkish embassy in Valletta or by donating to the Gozo Ministry which is also collecting supplies to donate. There are other various groups helping the victims, the details of whom you can find on our page.

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