Home Top

Turkish president Erdogan stops his motorcade to 'talk down man trying to jump off Bosphorus Bridge'

Unnamed man was seen to be preparing to jump from 211-ft bridge today
Footage showed Recep Erdogan's bodyguards bringing man to vehicle
Spoke to President through the window of the car before kissing hand
Police allegedly spent almost two hours to stop man committing suicide

Published: 19:14 GMT, 25 December 2015 | Updated: 19:17 GMT, 25 December 2015

View
comments

The Turkish president appeared to prevent a suicide on Christmas Day after he was filmed persuading a man to get back from the edge of a bridge.

The unnamed man was thought to be preparing to jump when Recep Erdogan's motorcade was passing over the 211ft-tall structure, which links Europe with Asia, after Friday prayers.

Footage showed Erdogan's bodyguards bringing the sobbing man, who appeared to be in his early 30s, to talk to the President through the window of his car.

Scroll down for video

The Turkish president appeared to prevent a suicide on Christmas Day after he was filmed persuading a man to get back from the edge of a bridge. Above, one bodyguard encouraged the man to climb over the railing

Two bodyguards escort the man, who was dressed in jeans and a simple hoody, to an official vehicle

Recep Erdogan's bodyguards brought the sobbing man, who appeared to be in his early 30s, to talk to the President through the window of his car

After a few moments, the man could then be seen kissing Erdogan's hand before being escorted to safety.

Police had allegedly been trying for almost two hours to talk the man out of committing suicide.

He was said to have abandoned his car on the bridge and climbed over the side railing due to long-standing depression.

The man has not yet been identified.

It comes almost a month after Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Turkey of shooting down its fighter jet to protect energy supplies from the jihadists.

Erdogan responded at the time by furiously demanding the Kremlin strongman proved his allegations.

Police had allegedly been trying for almost two hours to talk the unnamed man out of committing suicide

The bodyguards could be seen cautiously approaching the man as he leaned out from the railing of the huge bridge, which connects Europe to Asia

He said: 'You should put your documents on the table if you have any. Let's see the documents.'

He also vowed to stand down if the claim was true, but equally suggested that Putin should quit if he was wrong.

He added: 'I will say something very strong here. If such a thing is proven, the nobility of our nation would require that I would not stay in office.'