Investigation Sought Into Role Of Excursion Company

A widow from Devon is lodging an appeal in the Turkish courts in her battle to get justice for her husband, who died in an accident while on a jeep excursion in Turkey.

Siriol Roe, her husband Perry and their two children were on an open-top jeep excursion in August 2006 when it overturned while overtaking another vehicle at excessive speed. Perry was killed in the accident.

The driver of the jeep was found guilty of causing death and injury by negligent driving and sentenced to four years in prison. Siriol has now asked lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to lodge an appeal in the Turkish courts to find answers about the role played by Focus Tours, the company that organised the excursion.

Demetrius Danas from Irwin Mitchell’s Travel Law team explained: "This has been an extremely difficult time for Mrs Roe and her family. However, she has remained steadfast in her determination to access answers about the circumstances that led to her husband’s death. Her commitment to securing her children’s future, and ensuring justice is done is truly admirable.

"In addition to the appeal in the Criminal Court, we have now filed the civil claim in the Turkish courts. Whilst no amount of compensation can ever turn back the clock, it is important to provide some financial stability for the family as, in addition to losing a husband and father, the family has now been left without its main breadwinner."

The Roes were on holiday in Fethiye in Southern Turkey when they booked the trip on the recommendation of another holidaymaker.

Mrs Roe explained: "The publicity leaflets we saw were professional and advertised that the company was fully insured. We felt that an organised tourist trip where we travelled in a convoy with guides was a safe option.

"We were being driven in the jeep with another family but it soon became clear that the driver we had been assigned was young and seemed very inexperienced. He drove dangerously and at high speed. As we were travelling along a country road, he tried to overtake another jeep. He lost control of the vehicle and swerved off the road. Our jeep rolled and landed upside down.

"Most of the passengers were thrown from the vehicle and I was knocked unconscious. Both my children were badly injured and Perry died at the scene.

"I am now in a position where I have lost my husband, and my children are without a father so I won’t stop until justice is done and my family’s future is secure."

Siriol suffered multiple fractures and a ruptured spleen and both her children suffered severe scarring. The whole family are now suffering ongoing psychological trauma caused by the accident.

Mr Danas from Irwin Mitchell continued: "Turkey is a beautiful country and understandably popular with British tourists. However, as a non EU country, their standards of health and safety are very different to those in the rest of Europe.

"The Turkish tourism industry’s recent record on health and safety matters is a real concern. Sadly the tragedy involving the Roe family is not an isolated incident and a string of other fatal accidents involving British holidaymakers in Turkey has followed.
 
"It's high time that the Turkish tourism industry cleaned up its act and learnt lessons, to prevent other families from suffering such tragedies in the future."

The travel law team at Irwin Mitchell represents a number of clients injured in accidents in Turkey, as well as the families of people killed in accidents in the country, including the families of men killed in parasailing and hot-air ballooning accidents.