A forensic investigation has detected phosphine, a toxic gas, in the hotel room of a Hamburg family who died in Istanbul. The four family members passed away in mid-November during their vacation. The final clarification of the cause of death is still pending.
The tragedy occurred in mid-November when a four-member family from Hamburg died during their vacation in the Turkish metropolis of Istanbul. An investigation by the Institute of Forensic Medicine has now detected phosphine in wipe samples from the hotel room and in hotel towels, as reported by the state news agency Anadolu.
Phosphine forms when aluminum phosphide, commonly used for pest control, reacts with water or humidity. The gas damages cells in mammals, prevents oxygen transport in the blood, and can cause irritant cough, vomiting, liver and kidney disorders. Inhalation can be life-threatening.
Food poisoning as a cause is considered unlikely. Tests in the restaurants where the family had eaten showed no abnormalities. A preliminary investigation a week earlier had suggested chemical poisoning as the probable cause and rated the likelihood of food poisoning as low.
Since the start of the investigations, eleven people have been arrested, including two hotel employees and one person who carried out pest control in the hotel. Early toxicological reports indicated exposure to a chemical substance in the hotel, which is confirmed by reports from the Turkish broadcaster TRT. The final confirmation of the cause of death remains pending, but investigators are getting closer to clarification.