Scots teen stabbed in Turkey has 7-hour operation

A teenager who was stabbed following a row over a handbag at a Turkish holiday resort is said to be responding well to treatment, after a seven-hour operation to save his life.

Callum Copson was taken to hospital in the Turkish holiday resort last week. Picture: Getty

Callum Copson from Kennoway, near St Andrews, was taken to hospital in Marmaris last week after being slashed or stabbed in the stomach while protecting his girlfriend.

The Turkish tourism ministry yesterday said the 19-year-old had been operated on at a local hospital and was doing well.

Police said they have arrested the main suspect in the alleged attack.

The teenager is reported to have been attacked when he jumped in to protect girlfriend Erin Brown, 18, after angry shop staff started throwing belts, bags and shoes at her following a row over a refund on a faulty bag.

Consultant surgeon Ozgur Basaran, who operated on the Scot, said the teenager was lucky to be alive, but “not out of the woods yet”.

“Callum is lucky to be young, to be that close to the hospital and to receive immediate treatment to his wounds,” he said.

Mr Basaran said Mr Copson had suffered extensive damage to major arteries serving his kidneys and other internal organs.

Following a seven-hour operation, he had to be operated on for a second time after suffering internal bleeding.

“I’m pleased to say that Callum is well on the road to recovery,” Mr Basaran added.

“He’s not out of the woods yet – but he’s young and strong and making good progress.”

Tourism authorities in the popular Turkish resort have condemned the attack, fearing it could affect bookings in the run-up to the summer season.

In a statement, the Turkish Ministry of Tourism and Culture said: “We send our best wishes for Callum’s speedy recovery.

“The chief suspect has been arrested and is currently under police custody, while a full 
investigation gets under way.

“Turkey is the world’s sixth most popular tourism destination with 37.8 million people travelling there in 2013.

“That year, 2.51m travelled from the UK with 650,000 visiting Marmaris and the vast majority spending a safe and incident-free holiday.”

Mr Copson’s parents, Eric and Lorraine, flew to Turkey to be at their son’s bedside.

Speaking to local reporters, the couple said: “As soon as we got the call to say Callum was 
injured, we left our two daughters with family and got on the first plane to Marmaris.”

Mr Copson added: “I’m delighted that our son is alive and improving.

“We’d like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the fabulous doctors and nurses who have worked so very hard to save Callum’s life.

“Words alone cannot express our gratitude to them.”

A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: “We were informed of the hospitalisation of a British national in Marmaris, Turkey, on 19 June.

“We are providing consular assistance.”