Pictured: Speed boat skipper, 22, accused of causing the death of British woman, 44, in Turkey
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This is the first picture of the speed boat skipper accused of reckless driving that led to the death of British tourist Anna Capuano in a horror crash in Turkey.
Tamer Altindag, 22, was led into court in handcuffs on Friday morning to be interviewed by the state prosecutor about the death of the 44-year-old mother-of-three and the serious injuries suffered by her partner.
Dressed in a bright green T-shirt, cut off jean shorts, sandals and with coiffured hair, the unlicensed boat captain was told he must remain in jail until he stands trial for manslaughter and operating without a licence, later this year.
This is the first picture of Tamer Altindag, 22 – the speed boat skipper accused of reckless driving that led to the death of British tourist Anna Capuano in a horror crash in Turkey
Anna Capuano, a 44-year-old mother-of-three, suffered suffered catastrophic head injuries when the speed boat she was in struck a water taxi in Turkey. She died despite the frantic efforts of Turkish paramedics and first aiders to save her
Tamer does not deny causing the fatal crash with a water taxi, close to the resort’s crowded beachfront on Thursday lunchtime, but claims he cannot explain how the accident happened.
Police investigators had initially claimed that Tamer’s vessel had been in the collision while he had been distracted doing his hair in the mirror.
A source close to the investigation told MailOnline: ‘Tamer does not deny causing the accident. He is not blaming anyone else for what happened. He simply says he does not know what happened.’
Meanwhile the water taxi driver involved in the death smash has revealed how he did everything to avoid the fatal collision.
Captain Erol Nas was at the helm of the the other boat ‘Berkant’ when it was struck by the out-of-control speed boat carrying Anna and partner Peter Oxford, 39, on Thursday.
Ms Capuano suffered catastrophic head injuries when the speed boat struck Erol’s water taxi close to the beach. She died shortly afterwards despite the frantic efforts of Turkish paramedics and first aiders to save her.
Mr Oxford was knocked unconscious and suffered severe internal injuries that have kept him in intensive care at the town’s Ahu Hospital.
Two other British tourists were involved in the accident but suffered minor injuries. They returned to the UK on Friday.
Pictured: Police and on-lookers are seen at the scene of the crash in Turkey
Captain Erol Nas (pictured) was at the helm of the the other boat ‘Berkant’ when it was struck by the out-of-control speed boat carrying Anna and partner Peter Oxford, 39, on Thursday
Now Erol, 55, has described his frantic efforts to get his vessel out of the path of the speed boat driven by 22-year-old unlicensed skipper Tamer Altindag.
He told MailOnline: ‘I really wish this crash had not have happened. I did everything I could to avoid an accident.
‘I saw him coming into shore from the sea at high speed and heading straight towards us. So I slowed down and later I cut the engine. My boat only sails at three knots. When he got really close I put the engine into reverse to get of the way.
‘But he was out of control and in the wrong lane.
‘If I had not have changed course he would have struck my boat full on and many more people would have died.
‘But he struck the front of the boat and it was only people in the speed boat that were hurt. There was nothing more I could have done to avoid him.’
Erol, who has been a skipper for 35 years, has told of heartache at Anna’s death and the other passengers’ injuries.
He said: ‘The people who were hurt are our guests and we should have looked after them. I have been a boat captain for 35 years and I have never had an accident before. I grew up next to the sea. I was taken to sea before I could walk.
‘The sea is my life.’
Pictured: The Berkant water taxi, which was being captained by Erol Nas when the out-of-control speed boat crashed into it
Pictured: The court house in Marmaris, Turkey where the driver of the speedboat Tamer Altindag was questioned by the prosecutor looking into the death of Ms Capuano
While speed boat driver Tamer remains in jail, his colleagues at the ‘Number 6’ tour operator firm, that organised the fateful speed boat ride, have offered their condolences to Anna’s family.
Manager Halil Afsar told MailOnline: ‘Tamer is absolutely devastated by what happened. It was an accident. Tamer did not mean to kill or hurt anyone.
‘He is being in held in prison on manslaughter charges.
‘He is very upset by what happened. He is a young and he is in a terrible state. His family are very upset. All of us who work with him are upset too.
‘We all want to offer our condolences to the family of the lady who died and wish a speedy recovery to the people who were injured.’
Anna’s partner Peter Oxford remains in hospital in Marmaris recovering from his injuries which include six broken ribs.
The couple, who had recently got together, were enjoying their first holiday together – a seven-day package with TUI, staying at the Lalila Blue hotel.
Peter, from Derbyshire, has given a statement to the Turkish prosecutor in Marmaris who is leading the investigation into Anna’s death.
The couple, who had only recently got together, were enjoying a seven-day package holiday at the five-star Lalila Blue Hotel in Marmaris, booked through TUI, when tragedy struck at 1.30pm on Thursday lunchtime.
Anna – mother to two daughters aged 11 and 13 and a son 22 – had separated from her second husband Jonathan Capuano but the pair had remained on good terms.
On Saturday, a tour operator today told how Anna died in his arms after she was brought to shore following the tragic accident.
Mustafa Bey told MailOnline over the weekend: ‘It’s a tragedy. She died in my arms.
‘It is such a terrible thing to have happened. There has never been an accident like this in Marmaris. Everyone is in shock and upset. It’s so sad.’
Mustafa Bey, a tour guide, described holding Anna in his arms as she died. He said: ‘There has never been an accident like this in Marmaris. Everyone is in shock and upset. It’s so sad’
Peter Oxford, 39, was knocked unconscious and suffered severe internal injuries that have kept at the town’s Ahu Hospital. He has since given a statement to police
He added: ‘Her partner was knocked unconscious. He broke six or seven ribs and has other internal injuries. He was rushed to hospital. He was in a coma but he has regained consciousness now. He is traumatised.’
Ex-husband Jonathan said: ‘Anna’s a nice, friendly person, and was going off to Turkey with her new partner.’
Friends and neighbours have told how the couple had been looking forward to their sunshine break in Marmaris, a popular Turkish resort with Britons.
Baljeet Randhawa told MailOnline: ‘This is so sad, she had two young girls, and they will be heartbroken.
‘Anna has been so looking forward to her holiday in Turkey this week.
‘She had split up with her husband about a year ago and had recently met a new partner. It was their first time away together.
‘The girls lived with her but we’re not going on holiday, but were going to stay with their dad.’
Baljeet’s husband Sabjeet added: ‘She was a lovely person, bubbly and happy and always smiling.
‘It is such a shock. Everyone around here knew her but not that well.
A neighbour added: ‘Anna was a very nice woman and a good neighbour.
‘She had just met a new partner and seemed happy, It is a terrible thing to happen, shocking.’
A Foreign Office spokesman told MailOnline: ‘We are providing consular assistance after the death of a British woman and hospitalisation of three British nationals in Turkey, and are in contact with the local authorities.’