Crime suspected in Dutch man's disappearance in Turkey

The police belief that Haaksbergen man Joey Hoffmann (21), who disappeared in Turkey early in July, fell victim to a crime. "It is absolutely suspicious", Ilker Centikaya, police chief in Tarsus, southern Turkey, said to newspaper AD.

Hoffmann traveled to Silifke in Turkey to help friends Bjorn and Derya Breukers set up a new home early in July. The couple were also considered missing until the police managed to make contact with them on Sunday. According to AD, Hoffmann was supposed to return to the Netherlands. Derya let his family know that she gave Joey 250 euros and sent him to the airport because he was homesick. He never arrived.

On July 9th Bjorn Breukers arrived at the Silifke hospital by ambulance in a serious condition, RTL Nieuws reports based on documents in the broadcaster's position and statements from hospital personnel. He had serious injuries, kidney failure, scratches on his body and possible traces of violence on his face. The doctors at the hospital placed him in intensive care and alerted the authorities.

Two hours later, Derya showed up at the hospital. According to RTL, the two embraced. Breukers said that they lost contact for some time. Breukers discharged himself from the hospital, against the doctors advice. He and Derya left the hospital after midnight, Breukers still in his hospital gown.

Breukers was admitted to hospital "shortly after his friend Joey disappeared from the radar", Centikaya said to AD. A spokesperson for the hospital confirmed to the newspaper that Breukers had "injuries across his body, but no deep cuts". "He said that he fell on the rocks at the Narlikuyu beach, near Silifke", Centikaya said.

According to AD, Breukers told the Silifke hospital that he wanted to go to a hospital in Antalya, where he gave up a kidney for Derya in May. Antalya is around seven hours away from Silifke. A spokesperson for the Antalya hospital told the newspaper that the Breukers couple was last there in May.

The Turkish police don't know where Bjorn and Derya are now, according to Centikaya. "The Dutch authorities asked us to leave the case alone", he said to AD. "We are doing that. The Netherlands is keeping an eye on the couple. Presumably they will leave Turkey soon." The Turkish authorities are still searching for Joey Hoffmann, however. "He is still missing. I can only hope that he pops up alive somewhere."

The liaison officer for the Dutch police in Turkey, Gulsen Uludag, would not tell AD whether the information from Centikaya is correct. "This case is very sensitive, so I'm not making any statements about it", he said to the newspaper.