Poison tragedy in Istanbul It is now clear what killed the German family
In the case of the German family who died in Istanbul, poisoning was considered the probable cause of death. New details from forensic reports now provide clarity.
26.11.2025, 20:31
26.11.2025, 20:37
dpa
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- The four German tourists who tragically died in Istanbul apparently died of poisoning.
- The poison phosphine, which can be produced during pest control, was discovered in the hotel room of the family of four.
- The autopsy report has confirmed the cause of death.
According to a report, the toxic gas phosphine was discovered in the hotel room of the Hamburg family who died in Istanbul. The substance was found in wipe samples taken from the room, the state news agency Anadolu reported, citing a forensic medicine report. Phosphine was also found in towels in the hotel. However, the final clarification of the cause of death is still pending.
According to several media outlets, the autopsy report has now confirmed phosphine poisoning as the cause of death. The news portal T24 and the private broadcaster network Halk TV wrote on Tuesday, citing the document, that "conclusive evidence" had been found of phosphine poisoning. However, no traces of poison were found in the blood of the victims, in their stomachs or in the food they ate.
Deadly chemical in the hotel room
Turkish media, citing forensic experts, had already reported last week that chemical poisoning was the probable cause of death, citing the spraying of an agent against bedbugs. According to the autopsy report, the forensic experts did indeed find "evidence" of the use of this agent.
The substance aluminum phosphide is often used to control pests. In combination with water - humidity is sufficient - the toxic gas phosphine is produced.
The gas damages the body cells of mammals and, in high concentrations, prevents oxygen transport in the blood. In humans, phosphine can lead to irritable coughing, vomiting, liver and kidney dysfunction and can be life-threatening if inhaled.
Pest control presumably the trigger
The four members of a Hamburg family died while on vacation in Istanbul in mid-November. According to a preliminary forensic report, pest control in the room below the family could have caused their deaths.
Food poisoning was initially considered less likely as the cause of death. Tests in the establishments where the family had eaten did not reveal any abnormalities, Anadolu said.
