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A German tourist who disappeared while hiking along Türkiye’s Lycian Way in Antalya on Oct. 14 was found dead in a rocky area away from the marked route, as authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding her death.
The body of Friederike Elisabeth Newrzella, 33, was discovered near the Ucagiz neighborhood in the Kas district, around 700 to 800 meters from the sea, following a search involving gendarmerie units, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) and the AKUT search and rescue team from Kas-Kalkan.
Newrzella was last heard from on Oct. 14 while hiking along the section of the Lycian Way between Kas and Demre, prompting a missing-person report.
Her relatives also appealed for help through social media posts, while search teams swept the hiking route and surrounding terrain.
Local authorities confirmed that identification documents found on the body belonged to Newrzella. Her family had been notified, but the woman's identity was expected to be confirmed after an autopsy, Bagli explained.
A judicial investigation into the cause of death is underway. Investigators believe Newrzella may have left the marked Lycian Way route and followed a different path.
Authorities are also examining whether directional arrows and signs used by local businesses to guide visitors to their facilities may have led her away from the official trail.
Adverse weather conditions in the area have also raised the possibility that the German tourist fell from the rocky terrain.
The Lycian Way stretches along Türkiye's Mediterranean coast, connecting the Fethiye area in Mugla province with the Geyikbayiri area west of Antalya.
The long-distance hiking route follows ancient roads, old footpaths and mule tracks through coastal settlements, forests, mountain slopes and archaeological sites.
Developed by British-Turkish amateur historian Kate Clow and opened in 1999, the trail is widely recognized as Türkiye's first long-distance hiking route.
The Culture Routes Society, which maintains information on the trail, lists its length at 760 kilometers and estimates that walking the full route takes about 35 days.
Much of the trail runs over rocky ground, with steep climbs and descents between the Mediterranean coast and the surrounding mountains.
Although the route is marked, its branches and alternative paths can complicate navigation, and route changes have been documented in some sections over the years.
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