Empangeni couple caught up in Turkey coup storm

Well known Empangeni doctor Chris Stoyanov and his wife Joan, a clinical psychologist, were caught up in the chaos of the failed coup d’etat in Turkey over the weekend.

Chris is the resident radiologist at Life Empangeni Private Hospital.

The couple told the media they feared the worst when their plane that was scheduled to land at Atataturk Airport in Istanbul was diverted without warning on Saturday morning.

They were planning to drive from Istanbul to Bulgaria with friends.

When Joan noticed the plane had changed course by checking the onboard screens, she and others feared the plane might have been hijacked.

The passengers only later learned the plane was forced to divert as a result of a coup attempt.

Police fought soldiers, tanks blockaded roads and the parliament in Ankara was bombed by warplanes.

By Saturday morning Turkish leaders announced that government forces had quashed the coup, with figures later emerging of around 6 000 arrests and a death toll of around 300 people.

The South African Embassy has not received any reports of South Africans hurt or injured the Sunday Times reported yesterday.

The Stoyanovs and other passengers went through several hours of fear and confusion after their plane landed at an unknown airport, which turned out to be Adana Airport in southern Turkey, 100km away from Syria, and passengers were taken to a hotel nearby.

They and their fellow passengers only learned of the coup attempt when Joan switched on her cell phone.

It was at the hotel in central Adana the couple came across a wedding reception.

Joan said in typical Turkish hospitality, they were invited to join in.

‘We were treated to unbelievable hospitality, so typical of the way I’ve experienced Turkish people,’ said Joan.

On Sunday, the couple finally managed to complete their journey to Bulgaria and are shaken, but unharmed.

The ZO has made contact with the Stoyanovs and a full story will be in the Weekend Edition on Thursday.

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