A British tourist, Carl Ratcliffe, faced a harrowing experience in Turkey when police mistakenly perceived his severe asthma attack as intoxication. Ratcliffe, 47, who suffers from brittle asthma, a rare and serious form of the condition, found himself in trouble with the authorities while out for a walk in Bodrum.

Ratcliffe and his fiancée, Natalia Flynn, had traveled to Bodrum for a holiday, but their plans took a dark turn when Ratcliffe was hospitalized due to the asthma attack and subsequently placed in a coma for three days. Following his recovery and a joyous proposal to Natalia, Ratcliffe’s situation deteriorated when he experienced another severe asthma episode.

During this incident, a paramedic offered assistance, but Ratcliffe struggled to maintain his balance and breathe. Police intervened, misunderstanding the situation and proceeded to arrest Ratcliffe, threatening to shoot him if he did not comply. Despite Ratcliffe’s pleas about his asthma attack, he was handcuffed and detained in a prison cell for 14 hours without proper care or understanding of his medical condition.

After a judge cleared him of any wrongdoing, Ratcliffe faced further complications as a passport block prevented him from leaving Turkey. Subsequent asthma attacks led to additional hospitalizations, with Ratcliffe expressing deep distress over the lack of appropriate medical care and support during these critical moments.

Feeling trapped and abandoned, Ratcliffe shared his fears of death and the dire conditions he faced while in medical facilities in Turkey. His attempts to secure a fit-to-fly certificate were thwarted, leaving him stranded and struggling to cover mounting expenses.

Amidst these challenges, Ratcliffe’s Member of Parliament, Kevin Bonavia, has taken an interest in his case and plans to address it in a parliamentary session. In a bid to alleviate his financial burdens, Ratcliffe has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to seek assistance while he remains marooned in Turkey.