A construction worker on a 12-story building that collapsed in an earthquake that killed more than 19,000 people in Turkey has been stopped while trying to leave the country, according to Turkish state news agency Anadolu. A 250-unit Renaissance building in Hatay, southeastern Turkey.
The man was detained at the Istanbul airport before he tried to leave the country for Montenegro with a large sum of money.
The luxurious apartment building, which he touted on social media as a “corner of paradise”, has completely collapsed.
Turkish media reported that Ghanaian footballer Christian Atsu, who plays for the Hatayspor football club, and the team’s sports director, Taner Savot, were among those littered under the rubble of this building.
Rescuers are trying to find survivors at the scene.
Since Monday, Turkish media have been condemning some contractors who used substandard materials or failed to meet safety standards.
The first legal complaint was filed on Friday in Diyarbakır (southeast) and other complaints followed, according to the private TV channel NTV.
“The investigation into the collapsed buildings is ongoing,” Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said on Friday. “The perpetrators will be identified and brought to justice.”
