Welcome to our pick of last week’s news from Fethiye and around Turkey.
Curated from various news sources.
NEWS
Air Games Festival Concludes with Spectacular Final Day
Fethiye, MUĞLA – The 25th International Fethiye Ölüdeniz Air Games Festival continued on its final day with a full program of aerial performances over Belcekız Beach. Local and international visitors gathered from the early hours to watch paragliders, wingsuit pilots, and aerobatic aircraft take to the skies above Ölüdeniz.
The day’s schedule began at 10:00 a.m. and included Speedfly demonstrations, low-altitude freestyle jumps, wingsuit flights, and paragliding acrobatics. Fighter jet parachute displays and low passes by aircraft were also part of the program, drawing attention from spectators along the beachfront.
The festival, now in its 25th year, once again highlighted Fethiye’s importance as one of Turkey’s leading destinations for paragliding and air sports.
Source: https://www.fethiyetv.com/hava-oyunlari-festivali-renkli-gosterilerle-devam-ediyor
Work Begins on the Second Phase of the 328 Million TL Investment in Ölüdeniz
Fethiye, MUĞLA – Muğla Metropolitan Municipality has begun work on the second phase of its 328 million TL road and infrastructure investment on the Fethiye–Ölüdeniz road.
The municipality continues to enhance road infrastructure across its 13 districts. Having already completed the first and third phases of the 328 million TL project, the Metropolitan Municipality has now started work on the second phase, covering the Ovacık–City district route.
As part of this phase, a 2,650-meter stormwater line, sidewalk improvements, hot asphalt paving, retaining wall construction, and roundabout enhancements will be carried out. These works aim to strengthen the region’s infrastructure and provide residents and visitors with safer, more comfortable transportation.
Once the second phase is completed, the municipality will begin the fourth phase of the project. This will include approximately 2,500 meters of hot asphalt paving on the Ölüdeniz–Kayaköy road, along with pavement improvements, a rainwater pipeline, a drinking water pipeline, and an electronic communication network. A total of 165,236,590 TL has been allocated for the second and fourth phases combined.
In the completed first phase of the Patlangıç–Ovacık road, 2,400 meters of PMT and bituminous base layers, 2,100 meters of guardrails, and 300 meters of curbs were installed, expanding the road width to an average of 15 meters.
The third phase included 2,650 meters of BSK and PMT paving, 1,173 meters of guardrails, 2,200 meters of drinking water lines, 300 meters of motorist-friendly barriers, 2,730 meters of curbs, 1,865 square meters of paving stones, and 2,550 meters of trench concrete paving.
Overall, the 328 million TL project encompasses 11,000 meters of hot asphalt paving, 2,200 meters of drinking water lines, 1,600 meters of rainwater lines, and 6,500 meters of steel guardrails.
Muğla Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ahmet Aras said,
“As is the case throughout Muğla, we are strengthening our transportation infrastructure in Fethiye, ensuring our citizens travel more safely and comfortably. This road is not just a transportation route; it’s an artery that will boost Fethiye’s tourism and economic vitality. We are maximizing comfort and safety on this route, which welcomes millions of local and international visitors every year.
For us, Muğla is a unified whole. We operate with an equal service approach across all 13 districts, regardless of whether it’s a metropolitan area or a smaller town. This investment in Fethiye reflects our dedication to providing the same high standard of service and comfort for every citizen.”
Source: https://www.fethiyetv.com/oludenizde-328-milyonluk-yatirimin-2-etap-calismalari-basladi
The Social Aid Department Welcomed Future Social Workers
Fethiye, MUĞLA – Fourth-year students from the Social Work Department at Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University’s Seydikemer School of Applied Sciences visited the Fethiye Municipality Social Aid Department to gain professional field experience.
During the visit, the students were welcomed by Social Aid Department Director Ali Rıza Kıroğlu, who provided detailed information about the directorate’s organizational structure, service units, and social support activities across the city.
Kıroğlu said, “We wanted to provide young people who will shape the future of social work with the opportunity to learn about the role of local governments in social services. It is invaluable for us to be able to contribute to their professional development.”
As part of the program, the students toured the directorate’s headquarters, the Hearts Together Store, the Food Bank and Soup Kitchen, the Laundry, and the Administrative Office. At each location, they received insights from staff members about the units’ operations, client profiles, and service processes.
The visit concluded with a screening of videos highlighting the municipality’s social assistance efforts, volunteering initiatives, and projects supporting disadvantaged groups—allowing students to connect their theoretical studies with practical, real-world applications.
Pedestrian Crossings to Be at Least 200 Meters Apart in Fethiye
Fethiye, MUĞLA – Several pedestrian crossings between the Zincirlikavak and Çalıca areas of the Karaçulha neighborhood have been closed as part of a new traffic regulation. Officials stated that the updated rule mandates a minimum distance of 200 meters between pedestrian crossings, prompting the recent closures.
Authorities confirmed that new pedestrian crossing lines will be painted in the designated open sections as soon as possible. The project aims to enhance road safety and ensure smoother traffic flow throughout the area.
Despite the safety intentions, some pedestrians have expressed confusion and inconvenience due to the sudden closure of familiar crossing points. Residents reported challenges in finding safe areas to cross, particularly during busy traffic hours.
Officials noted that once the new layout is fully implemented—complete with updated markings and informative signage—traffic patterns and pedestrian movement are expected to become more organized and predictable.
Source: https://www.fethiyetv.com/yaya-gecitlerinin-arasinda-en-az-200-metre-olacak
Paragliders Collide in Fethiye, Injuring Three
Fethiye, MUĞLA – Three people were injured when a single paraglider and a tandem paraglider collided mid-air during the 25th International Ölüdeniz Air Games Festival, held over the skies of Ölüdeniz.
The festival, known for its vibrant aerial displays, took an alarming turn when the two paragliders attempting to land over Belcekız Beach crashed into each other. The collision caused both to lose control and make a hard landing on the beach.
Medical and gendarmerie teams were quickly dispatched to the area. After receiving first aid at the scene, the injured individuals were transported to Fethiye State Hospital by ambulance for further treatment.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the mid-air collision. Despite the incident, other festival activities continued under heightened safety monitoring.
Source: https://www.fethiyetv.com/fethiyede-yamac-parasutleri-havada-carpisti-3-kisi-yaralandi
AI Systems Boost Efficiency in Fighting Forest Fires
Istanbul – Artificial intelligence (AI)-supported systems are transforming forest fire management by predicting how fires will spread, their growth rate, and direction—making firefighting more efficient and targeted.
At the Istanbul Forest Innovation Week, held under the theme “From Green Homeland to World Forestry,” experts and companies showcased technological solutions for combating forest fires.
Ahmet Dabanlı, co-founder of Başarsoft and an environmental engineer, explained that their AI-based software can model forest fires by analyzing terrain, forest type, and wind conditions to predict where a fire will move within one to two hours. The system, which received a United Nations award, is currently in use at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s Fire Control Center, allowing teams to track fires in real time through data, cameras, and drones.
Dabanlı added that new developments are underway to improve navigation and team coordination in forest areas, ensuring faster and more accurate field responses.
At the event’s opening, Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı emphasized Turkey’s leadership in sustainable and technology-driven forestry practices, highlighting the country’s commitment to smart, global cooperation for a greener and more resilient future.
Source: https://www.dailysabah.com/turkiye/ai-based-systems-help-predict-forest-fire-spread-in-turkiye/news
Severe Rainfall Triggers Flash Floods Across Western Turkey; One Missing in İzmir
İzmir – Torrential rainfall has caused flash floods across western Turkey, leaving one man missing in İzmir’s coastal town of Foça, while authorities issued new storm warnings for Istanbul.
According to local officials, 70-year-old Bülent Kaptanoğlu was swept away by floodwaters after his car became trapped in rising water. Search efforts involving AFAD, gendarmerie, and local fire teams have been ongoing since October 23.
Kaptanoğlu’s car and wallet were found downstream, but he remains missing. On October 24, search operations continued with the support of diving units and drone teams from neighboring provinces. İzmir Governor Süleyman Elban said the car was located about 1.5 kilometers from where it was last seen.
“Unfortunately, the car was empty. Teams are still searching both in the water and on land,” Elban told reporters at the scene.
AFAD reported receiving over 200 emergency calls in the area as overflowing rivers caused severe flooding. The heavy rains also impacted the provinces of Antalya, Çanakkale, and Aydın, where streets turned into rivers, and homes and businesses were flooded.
In Gökçeada, an island district of Çanakkale, intense rainfall triggered five separate landslides and inundated several buildings.
SPORT
Thank you to Brian Lloyd for the Fethiyespor weekly update.
Ziraat Turkish Cup 3rd Qualifying Round
Fethiyespor will play Dersimspor in an away match on Wednesday, October 29, at 1:30 PM in the Ziraat Turkish Cup 3rd Qualifying Round.
Match Result
Fethiyespor drew their away home match against Kırklarelispor on Saturday with a final score of 1-1. Following recent matches, Fethiyespor remains in 11th place in the league tables.
League Match
The team’s next match will be played away against Menemen FK on Sunday, November 2, with kick-off at 15:00.
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Turkish Lira (TL) exchange rates
The British Pound bought 55.81 TL by the close of business on Friday. The week before it was selling for 56.24 TL.
The US Dollar bought 41.94 TL by the close of business on Friday. The week before it was selling for 41.89 TL.
The Euro bought 48.76 TL by the close of business on Friday. The week before it was selling for 48.84 TL.
Source: exchangerates.org.uk
Weather Forecast
Here’s your weather forecast for the week ahead.
Source: Living Earth
