A limestone spire in the Göreme National Park area toppled after a sudden landslide triggered by heavy rainfall, striking the tourist‑heavy corridor at 3:12 PM local time.
The collapse left two tourists dead and a third wounded; the injured man was air‑lifted to a hospital in Nevşehir with fractures to his arm and leg.
Governor Huseyin Kok announced that rescue crews had recovered the bodies and that the site was closed pending a safety assessment.
The Directorate of Disaster Management will conduct a geotechnical survey of the spire and surrounding rock faces to determine whether the structure was compromised by erosion.
Tourism officials said the collapse could deter visitors, prompting an unplanned pause for the Göreme hot‑air balloon routes and a temporary ban on climbing the spire.
In the coming days, the Ministry of Culture will issue a public safety advisory, and local authorities plan to reinforce similar formations to prevent future incidents.