In a tragic incident at a closed ski resort in Turkey, Olympic skier Berkin Usta, 24, and his father, Yahya Usta, 57, were killed in a fire that broke out at the Kervansaray hotel in the northwest of the country on Thursday. Berkin, who represented Turkey in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and finished 43rd in the giant slalom, and Yahya, former president of the Turkish Ski and Snowboard Teachers Association, were among those who lost their lives.

Prosecutors have initiated an investigation into the cause of the blaze, with the hotel manager taken into custody as part of the inquiry. Initially, the hotel had been closed in early January after its accommodation permit was revoked. The presence of Berkin, Yahya, and Yahya’s wife at the hotel, and whether any of them were staff members, remains unclear.

Reports from the mayor of Bursa province indicate that the fire originated in the cafeteria. Television footage showed the flames rapidly consuming the six-story hotel, located near one of Turkey’s most popular ski resorts, just a few hours away from Istanbul.

Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee, expressed his condolences, stating, “Berkin lived his Olympic dream by competing at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 in Alpine skiing. Our thoughts are with their family and friends.”

This incident is especially poignant as it occurs just two months after another deadly fire at the Grand Kartal hotel in Kartalkaya, which claimed 79 lives. The latest fire at Kervansaray underscores growing concerns regarding safety measures at tourist accommodations in Turkey, particularly those in remote or mountain areas that may lack adequate oversight or emergency preparedness.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/mar/28/berkin-usta-death-olympic-skier-winter-resort-hotel-turkey-kervansaray