Evros crossing tragedy: 3 children dead, 2 missing after inflatable boat overturns

Three children from a family from Sulaymaniyah, in Iraq's Kurdistan Region, have died after the inflatable boat carrying them and their parents capsized in the Evros River on the Turkey-Greece border, according to Turkish rescue authorities. Two of the children are still missing and a search is continuing along the river.

Key facts

• The incident happened on the evening of 14 October 2026 near the NATO bridge on the Evros River
• The family of five had travelled from Sulaymaniyah to Istanbul and on to Edirne, reportedly planning to reach Germany
• One child was pulled from the river and taken to hospital but died; two children remain missing
• Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and gendarmerie teams began searches on 15 October 2026
• The parents were reportedly held at a police station in Edirne for questioning

What happened?

The family — Harem Mohammed, 41, his wife Hozan Rostam, 37, and their children Hastyar, 12, Haryad, 9, and Mela, 5 — had travelled from Sulaymaniyah to Istanbul before continuing to Edirne, where they reportedly planned to cross into Greece and travel on to Germany.

According to an account by Mohammed shared with Rudaw by migration activist Ranj Peshdari, a guide took the family from a flat in Edirne to wetlands near the NATO bridge on the Evros River on Wednesday evening. They joined three other people in a small, overloaded dinghy.

The boat capsized shortly after leaving the bank. Mohammed said the parents brought the three children back to safety, but a smuggler's assistant told them they had to try again or risk detention by Turkish police. On the second attempt, he said, the strong current pushed the dinghy into a tree trunk and it overturned. He rescued his wife, but the three children were swept away.

What is the latest on the search?

Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and gendarmerie teams launched searches by boat, along the riverbank and from the air on Thursday. State media photographs showed rescue operations continuing along the Evros River.

Kurdish media reported that rescue teams recovered the parents and brought a child ashore near Bosnaköy. "One child was pulled from the river and taken to hospital, but later died despite medical treatment," Peshdari said. "The other two children remain missing."

The children's relatives in Sulaymaniyah confirmed the deaths and appealed for help locating the two missing bodies. The children's grandfather, Wasta Reza, reportedly called on Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani to press Turkish authorities to intensify the search.

Why does this matter for travellers?

The Evros River forms part of the border between Turkey and Greece and is one of the routes used by migrants attempting to enter the European Union irregularly. Smugglers often use small or unsuitable boats, sometimes at night or in poor weather, increasing the risk of capsizing and drowning.

The exact number of people aboard, the role of the alleged smuggler and whether the three other migrants were rescued or detained could not immediately be independently verified.

The parents were reportedly held at a police station in Edirne for questioning after the incident. Mohammed said Turkish officers had treated the couple with compassion. No further official statements on the search have been reported.