British tourists scatter loved-one’s ashes into the sea in Turkey leaving locals horrified
A group of British tourists horrified locals and sparked a health alert after they scattered their loved-one’s ashes into a sea in Turkey.
Around 40 Britons congregated on the shores of Marmaris, Turkey, to scatter the ashes of a deceased relative who lost their life at sea, choosing the spot as it was the dead man’s favourite holiday spot.
However, beachgoers who witnessed the tribute were not thrilled to swim in the same waters as the freshly scattered ashes, so contacted health authorities to report the occurrence.
Swimmers feared that the spreading of the ashes would contaminate the water and could endanger the health of beachgoers.
Health officials were then spotted taking samples of the water, however, it is not believed they were related to the incident, instead being part of a “routine inspection”, local reports claim.
One witness told the Daily Mail: “The daughter explained that her 43-year-old dad had died and that they all wanted to remember him by placing his ashes in the sea at his favourite beach in Marmaris.”
Cremation occurs at such high temperatures that any potential concerning microorganisms are destroyed in the process.
The practice is not legal in Turkey and there are no cremation facilities in the country, according to the Home Office.
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However, anyone who dies in Turkey that is not Muslim can be buried in line with their own practices, or their home country can arrange for them to be repatriated to be cremated.
The restrictions have made it extremely difficult to scatter their loved one’s ashes in their desired spots.
One mourning partner shared their struggles on a Sue Ryder bereavement forum. They wrote: “My wife always loved Turkey from the first time we went there 40 years ago and many, many times after. So it was a no brainer where she would want to be at rest.
“Unfortunately it’s never that simple. It took me nearly two years to get permissions set up with UK airport, airline, Turkish airport, Turkish Government, Turkish Local Council Officials, Main Mosque Representatives, Turkish Police, and Local Port Authorities.
“I was told what I could and could not do every step of the way by officials.”
It took the bereaved partner almost two years to get permission to scatter their wife’s ashes, relieved they could carry out this task as “the last physical thing I could do for her”.
Turkey is a Muslim country which does not allow cremation under Islamic law.