türkçe links to original Turkish article
(Hürriyet Newspaper, 4 November 2021)
high-altitude scam click here for a 2019 New York
Times article on this swindle.
How's the air up there? Looks expensive.
Turkish lawyer Merve Bakdur passed out while climbing Mt. Everest,
was put on a helicopter and opened her eyes in a Katmandu hospital,
where she learned that she owed the hospital and the helicopter
company $7,500. Unable to pay the helicopter company's $6,000
fee, the company took Merve hanım hostage. It turned out that the
climber guides and the helicopter company run this scam all the time
against foreign tourist-climbers. (!)
When Merve hanım reached Everest's base camp, the change in altitude
made her pass out so the guide called for a helicopter right away.
At the Katmandu hospital, Merve hanım quickly regained her health but
was slapped with a $1,500 hospital bill and the helicopter company
demanded $6,000. The insurance company supposedly covering
Merve hanim's trip declared that her coverage did not include these bills.
Merve hanım explained that "the insurance company's officials were at
the door of my hospital room saying 'we saved your life so you have to
pay us.' When I told them I didn't have that kind of money they said I
couldn't leave Nepal without paying. Anyway, leaving just $100 in my
bank account, I paid the hospital bill. The guide and helicopter officials
were waiting for me at my hotel room. They got physical with me and
took my telephone. When I said I'd call my family for the money, they
gave me my phone back and threatened me again: 'if your family doesn't
send the money they won't ever see you again.'" (!)
Merve hanım's family got in touch with the Turkish embassy in New
Delhi and the honorary Turkish consul in Katmandu was enlisted into
the matter. The consul persuaded the helicopter company to reduce
their bill to $3,000. Next, Turkish Airlines (THY) got involved and
despite more threats from the helicopter company, Merve hanım got on
the THY plane and returned to Turkey on 1 November.
And they say lawyers can figure...
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