British pair held at holiday resort over fatal yacht inferno
A BRITISH couple have been arrested in Turkey over a devastating blaze on a yacht which left one man dead and another fighting for his life.
Billy clark, 34, and his girlfriend Rosie Patricia Glover, 24, were accused of being involved in the fire which engulfed a marina in the south-western city of Marmaris, Turkish media said.
The couple, who are believed to be from Northern Ireland, appeared in court this week over the blaze which broke out at 4.30am on Monday.
clark was told he would face charges of negligent homicide while Miss Glover was released on probation. She is not allowed to leave Turkey while police, who suspect it could have been an arson attack, investigate.
a 63-year-old man, identified as Ekrem Gokce, was asleep on one yacht and died. his body was found by divers among the vessel’s wreckage.
another man, Turker Demir, remains in hospital. Dramatic photographs from the resort show firemen battling the inferno which destroyed three yachts. The fire allegedly started after clark, who is said to have been drinking, fell asleep on a yacht after arguing with his girlfriend. CCTV cameras later caught him leaving the marina carrying a television and meeting Miss Glover. Two minutes later the fire started onboard the yacht before spreading to two others. It took four hours to extinguish.
according to local reports, clark is said to have told police: ‘I was really drunk. I went on to a yacht that I thought was empty to rest. I left the yacht when I had an argument with my girlfriend. I can’t remember how the fire started.’
Miss Glover is alleged to have said: ‘I was drunk as well. I had nothing to do with the fire.’
after the blaze, clark and his girlfriend are alleged to have driven away but were stopped by police in the Turunc holiday resort 13 miles away.
The pair were pictured hiding their faces as they were taken in handcuffs to a police station.
The Foreign office said: ‘We are in contact with the Turkish police following the detention of two British nationals.’