Nöbetçi EczanelerArdauc of Artvin province, the lifeless body of the shepherd lost in the avalanche disaster was found 125 days later.
The incident took place on December 31, 2025, in Zekeriya village, where 6 shepherds and approximately 1200 small livestock were caught in an avalanche while trying to bring their flocks down from the highland to the village. While 3 of the shepherds managed to survive on their own, the lifeless bodies of Suat Temel and Kerimullah Azizulla were discovered. Bülent Gezer, on the other hand, went missing under the snow.
Following the incident, the search and rescue operations initiated by the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), gendarmerie, and rescue teams were halted on the fourth day due to avalanche risks and adverse weather conditions. Although the operations were temporarily suspended on January 3, the teams continued daily measurements, observations, and risk analyzes in the region. With the decrease in avalanche risk in the latest assessments, search activities were resumed.
After 122 days had passed, on the fifth day of the resumed operations, Bülent Gezer’s lifeless body was recovered from under the avalanche 125 days later.
