Overview
- A conical “fairy chimney” at the Göreme Open Air Museum collapsed after a landslide on Thursday, and officials say rescue teams recovered three bodies and treated at least five injured visitors.
- Local authorities closed the museum, deployed medical and emergency crews to the scene, and the Nevşehir prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation into the cause and circumstances of the collapse.
- Officials and tourism managers point to days of heavy rain and strong winds, temperature-driven freeze–thaw cycles that weaken rock, and ancient excavated cavities at the formation’s base as likely contributors to the failure.
- Videos circulated on social media and news-agency footage show a large dust cloud and scattered boulders at the site, and authorities suspended popular activities such as hot-air balloon flights during the recent bad weather.
- The collapse raises safety and preservation questions for the UNESCO-listed Cappadocia landscape, which draws millions of visitors yearly, and investigators’ findings could affect access rules and conservation measures at the site.