The Turkish Defense Ministry said two conscripts who died in southern Hatay province in July succumbed to complications caused by prolonged exposure to extreme heat.
The ministry announced on Wednesday that the Council of Forensic Medicine had completed its report on the death of the soldiers, who collapsed during training at the İskenderun Naval Recruit Training Regiment on July 25.
The report concluded that the soldiers died of hyperthermia, defined as an excessive rise in body temperature, and related complications due to long-term exposure to extreme heat.
The ministry said the administrative inquiry into the incident has been finalized, with disciplinary proceedings still underway against personnel whose negligence or misconduct may have contributed to the deaths.
Officials added that a separate judicial process is being conducted by the İskenderun Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Seven conscripts had been hospitalized with high fever, and two of them, identified as Semih Erdoğan and Hayrullah Halit Karaman, had died despite medical intervention.
The ministry said it “once again extends its condolences to the families of our martyrs, the Turkish Armed Forces, and our noble nation.”
The deaths occurred during a period of extreme summer heat in Hatay, where temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).
The case has attracted scrutiny from opposition lawmakers, who have alleged negligence, inadequate medical care and possible misconduct by officers at the base.
They have demanded a parliamentary commission of inquiry, warning that the incident reflects wider problems in the military’s training practices during heatwaves.