Twenty-four back-to-back funerals have been held in North Cyprus for children who died in the devastating earthquake in Turkey.
The youngsters, aged 11 to 14, were on a school volleyball trip and staying in the Grand Isias hotel in Adiyaman. Ten parents, four teachers and a trainer were also killed.
The team had reportedly travelled for two days to the southern Turkish city from the Turkey-aligned northern part of the island state.
They were staying in the ten-floor hotel having won a match on February 6 the day the earthquake struck, destroying the hotel and leaving them trapped beneath the rubble.
Including those who died in Syria from the quake, the total death toll has now reached 36,970. There have additionally been more than 2,000 aftershocks as the Earth’s crust readjusts from the shake which had hampered efforts to save those trapped under rubble.
The bodies of the Cypriot children were repatriated over days, with their coffins being carried past relatives and government officials at Nicosia Airport in the capital for the funerals which were held over the weekend and concluded on Monday.
“It's really sad,” one mourner, who did not wish to be named, said. “The island is so small that everyone knows of someone whose child or grandchild died. There's just a really sad feeling here since it happened. They've been having funerals for the children for days.”
Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar tweeted: “We bid farewell to our Champion Angels with our tears. Our pain is big. I share the grief of the families.
“All of us were heartbroken. Our Champion Angels will always be with us, they will live in our hearts. May they rest in peace, may their place be heaven.”
Northern Cypriot leaders aided the rescue efforts by sending 200 workers as well as 17 riot police and 10 firefighters.
Nazım Cavusoglu, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’s minister for national education, said: “We had a group of 39 people here. Within two or three hours after the earthquake, four of them were rescued with aid and 35 people were left.
"Our team pulled a total of 25 people out of the wreckage in these four days, three of them from our group. Of these 25 people, one was alive and 24 were unfortunately dead."
The Independent is appealing for help in raising urgently needed funds following the deadliest earthquake to hit Turkey and Syria in almost a century.
All funds raised will go to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Turkey-Syria earthquake appeal, which brings together leading UK aid charities to help with the search efforts and provide vital medicines, clean water and temporary accommodation.
To donate to the appeal, click here.
