Story By: Lee Bullen, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency:  Newsflash

An American investigative journalist has been found dead in a car in Istanbul and the police consider it a “suspicious death”.

Russian-born American documentary filmmaker and investigate journalist Andre Vltchek, 57, was found dead in the neighbourhood of Karakoy in the north-western Turkish city of Istanbul.

Together with his wife Indira Vltchek, the American journalist hired a car to travel to Istanbul from the Black Sea province of Samsun where the couple spent several days together.

The newspaper Hurriyet said that two drivers also accompanied the couple on the trip.

When they arrived at their hotel in Karakoy at around 5.30am, Indira Vltchek tried to wake up her husband, but he was unresponsive.

His wife and the two drivers immediately called the emergency services for help.

However, paramedics on the scene could only confirm Vltchek’s death.

The authorities cordoned off the street as an investigation got underway.

Istanbul’s public prosecutor’s office has confirmed that an investigation is underway and that the victim’s body has been taken to a forensics facility for examination.

The police recorded the case as “suspicious death”.

Meanwhile, the car was towed to a police station compound for further investigation.

The wife and two drivers are expected to give statements as the police probe continues.

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