Who was Berkin Usta and what happened to him? Olympic Skier and his father reportedly die in Turkey hotel fire

Skier Berkin Usta died in a fire accident at a ski resort on March 27, 2025. He was with his father, Yahya Usta, who also lost his life in the accident. As per reports, the Kervansaray Hotel had been closed since January 2025 as its accommodation permit was revoked.

According to the Associated Press, sports minister Osman Askin Bak shared a statement expressing sorrow. He said:

“I learned with deep sorrow that our national athlete Berkin Usta and his father Yahya Usta lost their lives in the fire that broke out in the hotel.”

The hotel is three hours away from Istanbul, and reports mentioned that no guests were at the hotel when the fire broke out at 5:30 a.m. Authorities stated that the fire started in the cafeteria, while the state-run Anadolu Agency reported that the hotel manager had been taken into custody.

Berkin Usta stayed with his father and mother on the second-highest floor of the six-story hotel. However, Berkin’s mother survived the incident. Twelve other people were injured in the incident.

Berkin is a Turkish alpine skier born on May 29, 2000, in Bursa, Marmara, Turkey. He specializes in alpine skiing, particularly in the Giant Slalom event. He represented Turkey at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, competing in the Men's Giant Slalom and Men's Slalom events.

According to Olympics Fandom, in the Giant Slalom, he finished in the 43rd place, completing his two runs in 1:17.91 and 1:24.81, respectively. In the Men's Slalom, he did not finish (DNF) the first run and did not start (DNS) the second run.

Berkin Usta’s ski school seemingly held a camp at the hotel venue

Berkin Usta was the founder of SKICRAFT, a ski school. SKICRAFT’s first Instagram post in December 2024, announced the launch of their school, highlighting their 30 years of experience in ski education. With the start of the winter season, they introduced a structured and professional approach to training.

Their team included certified instructors and two Olympic athletes, ensuring top-quality instruction. As seen in the post, the school seemingly conducted a camp at the same place as the hotel where Berkin Usta was staying. On January 3, 2025, SKICRAFT shared another Instagram post about their services and upcoming camp.

Mayor Mustafa Bozbey shared a statement with TMZ saying:

“We conducted an inspection of this hotel in January. We identified deficiencies and shared them with the relevant institutions. There was information that the hotel was closed. It is being investigated why there were 12 people inside. If this is negligence, it must be revealed.”

TMZ noted that Berkin Usta’s final Instagram post showed a fireplace resembling the one in the hotel’s restaurant and bar.

Berkin started his journey with the 16 Sports Club in Bursa. Throughout his career, he participated in several competitions.

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