Carl Ratcliffe, a 47-year-old British holidaymaker, has been stranded in Turkey for 36 days after police arrested him for allegedly being drunk when he was actually suffering a severe asthma attack. The incident turned his dream 10-day vacation with fiancée Natalia Flynn, 49, into a nightmare.
What Happened During the Holiday
Carl and Natalia were staying at the Susona Hotel in Bodrum. Eight days into their trip, Carl experienced a severe asthma attack and was rushed to Bodrum American Hospital, where he was placed in an induced coma. He regained consciousness three days later. However, on June 23, while watching the England vs. Ghana match at a bar, he suffered a second asthma attack.
Police Misinterpretation and Arrest
Turkish police assumed Carl was drunk at the bar. He told them he could not breathe and was having an asthma attack, but they claimed they did not speak English. When he could not perform a breathalyser test due to his condition, they arrested him for resisting arrest, failing to produce a breathalyser sample, and being abusive. Carl insists he was not abusive. A blood test the following day showed no alcohol in his system, but a judge still prevented him and Natalia from leaving Turkey.
Detention and Threats
Carl was taken to Bodrum police station, where he managed to calm his asthma attack over four hours. He was then moved to another station. He recounted: "During that time if I put my hands down by my side the officers would say to me they would 'shoot me'. They had handguns on them, and I was scared they were going to use them on me." He spent 14 hours in custody before being de-arrested, but the judge refused to allow the couple to leave the country.
Further Medical Complications
The ordeal worsened when Carl went to pick up a replacement inhaler and was placed in a second induced coma. He said: "I felt fine when I went in and while I was waiting they asked me to wait on a ward bed. The next thing you know I wake up five days later. I don't even know why I was put in the coma as I was completely fine when I went in."
Impact on Carl and Family
Carl, a former Barclays bank manager currently out of work due to health issues, said: "I'm a strong character but what I have been through is ridiculous. I could have died in the hands of the police on two occasions, while suffering a panic attack and if they had shot me. My anxiety is through the roof and I am terrified of going to the airport when hopefully I get out of this mess as I can't be dealing the prions they were horrid." He added: "I'm also praying I don't have another asthma attack as I don't want to go back to hospital."
Fundraiser and Official Response
A fundraiser has been launched to help the couple return home. An update noted they have been stuck for 36 days, with the court reportedly refusing to speak with the British Embassy. Carl's mother, Francine Kelly, 65, from County Down, Northern Ireland, said: "They treated him like an animal, I am heartbroken. I just want him home and safe in the UK." A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We are supporting a British man in Turkey, and are in touch with the local authorities."
