Prosecutors seek 6 years in prison over Turkish skier's death

Nemutlu (17), a member of Turkey's national Alpine ski team, was training on Jan. 12 for the World Cup Super-G title on a slope at the Konaklı Ski Resort prior to the Turkey Youth Ski Championship when one of her skis came loose, causing her to fall and slam at high speed into a barrier. She suffered fatal injuries, including a brain hemorrhage, a broken neck and spine and a punctured lung. Her funeral took place in İstanbul two days after the accident, on Jan. 14.

Nemutlu's death led to suspicious that she might have died due to negligence. A nine-page report published by Dr. Fatih Kıyıcı of the Atatürk University Physical Education and Sports Graduate School (BESYO) in February said the 17 year old's death could have been prevented had the wooden barriers running along the perimeter of the ski slope been properly padded.

After the report's release, prosecutors began examining it and have prepared an indictment in which they seek up to six years for TKF Chairman Özer Ayık, Nemutlu's trainers Fidan Kırbaç Özbakır and Recep Süleyman Dilik, and Erzurum provincial ski representative Nevzat Bayraktar on charges of causing death by negligence. The indictment has been accepted by the court, which will start to hear the trial into Nemutlu's death in the coming days.