Türkiye seeks extradition of teen, mother who fled to U.S. after deadly car crash

Türkiye requested extradition of teenager T.C. and his mother Eylem Tok who fled to the United States after a fatal road accident in Istanbul, Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç said on Tuesday.

The 16-year-old unlicensed driver has been identified by Turkish officials only by his initials, T.C., because he is a minor.

Turkish media reported that the car crash in northern Istanbul killed one person and injured four others on March 1. Some Turkish media have reported that the boy has U.S. dual citizenship, which Turkish authorities have not confirmed.

The teenager, who was charged with causing death through negligence, and his mother, who was charged with assisting a criminal, flew first to Egypt and then to the United States after the accident, Justice Minister Tunç told reporters.

Türkiye officially asked for the extradition of the two from the United States on March 7 through diplomatic channels and Interpol, Tunç said, adding that U.S. Justice Department had asked for additional documents from Türkiye on Tuesday.

"We have completed these documents. We're following the process closely. We hope the U.S. administration will respond positively," he said.