Man dies and two pals fall ill on dental tourism trip
A MAN from Northern Ireland has died and two of his friends are seriously ill in hospital after they collapsed during a trip to Turkey for dental work.
Richard Molloy, 33, died on Saturday in Marmaris, where Declan Carson and Aaron Callaghan were found unconscious in the trio’s rented apartment.
It is understood the friends – described as ‘fit and healthy young lads’ from Ardoyne, in North Belfast – had travelled to the country for a teethwhitening procedure.
Mr Callaghan and father-of-two Mr Carson were in comas but a friend said their condition had improved and they had come off life-support machines.
Police are reportedly trying to trace the dentist who treated them.
Mr Molloy’s family are being assisted by The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust to bring his body back to Northern Ireland.
Colin Bell, who set up the charity in memory of his son in 2013, told the Belfast Telegraph: ‘It’s a very difficult situation. I understand they had been travelling out for dental treatment, we don’t know how it happened but it ended up with Richard dying and the other two lads being seriously ill.
‘At this stage his sister has flown out and she’s been put in touch with the funeral company who are looking after Richard’s repatriation.’
Sinn Féin’s Belfast North MP John Finucane, who has spoken to the three families, described it as an ‘absolutely heartbreaking’ tragedy.
He said: ‘The community of North Belfast will rally around the families of those affected and do all that we can to provide support to them at this time of great difficulty.’
The Foreign Office said it was supporting Mr Molloy’s family.
A salon in Belfast paid tribute to him on its Facebook page. Simon Flannery Male Grooming said: ‘We received heartbreaking news over the weekend that one of our clients of over a decade, Richie Molloy, has passed away while on holiday in Turkey.’