By Lorna Petty

Two women holidaying in Turkey have revealed the traumatic experience of seeing a man die while they were on a Jeep tour.

Cheryl Morris and childhood friend Faith O’Neill, from Gravesend and Northfleet respectively, were on a mountain road trip near the resort town of Alanya when a vehicle carrying 11 people fell into a ravine.

A Romanian tourist on holiday with his wife and three-year-old daughter is reported to have been killed instantly when a vehicle landed on top of him.

Local news outlets there have identified him as 32-year-old Constantin Butnarescu.

Cheryl, 49, said the screams of passengers and the young girl asking for her daddy are etched into her memory.

The friends had been told the trip, which took place on June 21, would be a relaxing drive up into the mountains with chances to swim and enjoy brilliant views.

Once they set off, Cheryl says the passengers were given water guns and encouraged to have water fights between the jeeps.

The holidaymaker explained there were three cars in total, which were allegedly driving fast, doing doughnuts, overtaking each other and skidding up the mountainside.

Remembering the moment of the accident in detail, she recalls hearing a whistle and shouts of “it’s gone over, it’s gone over” before running down to find a passenger had been crushed by the jeep.

As the drivers tried to lift the vehicle off the man, the other tourists turned to his wife and young daughter.

Cheryl said: “We heard the little girl asking where her Daddy had gone. The wife was screaming ‘You’ve killed my husband’.

“When I shut my eyes I’m back on that mountain. I can see what his wife looks like, his little girl. I can’t get the image out of my head.”

Those who were not taken to hospital after the accident waited four hours in the sun whilst cranes and fire service lifted the jeep off the man. They were then told the only way back down the mountain was in the jeeps.

It could have been any of us

The two women said the support back at the hotel was limited, and the representative for the tour company who had sold them the trip was nowhere to be seen.

They were given a refund for the experience but Cheryl was more concerned to see the agency rep continuing to sell the jeep tour and other excursions to more guests.

She said she wants to warn others of the potential lack of safety regulations on similar adventure trips.

“It could have been any of us,” she said. “My daughter’s got a five-month-old baby that might never have known me… it’s not worth it.”

The accident and subsequent handling of the situation has prompted Cheryl to share her story widely. She added that she and Faith are still in touch with the victim’s wife, who she says “was treated atrociously” and are trying to raise awareness.

The aftermath left her hesitant about future travels. She said: “My daughter wants me to go away with her again in September but I don’t really want to go on holiday.”

An investigation to establish what happened is ongoing.

A spokesperson for loveholidays, who the pair booked the holiday with, said: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic events that occurred during Ms O’Neill and Ms Morris’ holiday in Turkey, and offer our condolences to everyone affected.

“The excursion in question was not booked through loveholidays and the company it was booked with is not affiliated with us in any way.

“We are sorry to hear of Ms O’Neill and Ms Morris’ complaints about their hotel and are continuing to investigate them with the accommodation provider directly.”

KentOnline contacted both the hotel and tour company but they did not respond.