Inquest into Turkey gastric sleeve death concludes with no clear cause
An inquest found Morgan Ribero died from complications after gastric sleeve surgery in Turkey, but could not determine the cause as the clinic didn't cooperate; her father says justice has passed.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The inquest into the death of 20-year-old Morgan Ribero, who died after travelling to Turkey for gastric sleeve surgery, concluded on Tuesday with a narrative verdict. The assistant coroner at Croydon Coroner's Court said she died from complications following the operation, but it was impossible to say exactly what those complications were.
The reason for the lack of clarity was that the coroner's office had repeatedly tried to get evidence and information from the surgeon and clinic in Istanbul, but received no response over a two-year period. The coroner apologised to Morgan's father, Richard Ribeiro, saying she was sorry he had never got the answers he wanted.
Morgan paid around £2,500 for the procedure in January 2024, after documenting her journey on social media. She collapsed on her flight home and made an emergency landing in Serbia, where she died in hospital. A post-mortem found that her intestine wall had ruptured.
Speaking after the inquest, Richard Ribeiro told ITV News that he fears he will never get justice for his daughter. He said: "Justice for Morgan has passed. It's been far too long." He also revealed that Morgan's mother, Erin Gibson, took her own life in May this year, with her grief and the fight for justice becoming too much.
The surgeon, Dr Serkan Bayil, has not responded to requests for comment. At the time of Morgan's death he denied any wrongdoing, claiming she died from an embolism. The clinic has since closed down.
The UK government says it is aware of at least 32 British nationals who have died after medical procedures in Turkey in the past six years. It has advised people considering surgery abroad to seek NHS guidance and do thorough research.
Morgan's father described her as a kind, compassionate and always considerate young woman who worked with special educational needs children in a nursery. He said: "I wouldn't wish this upon my worst enemy."
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | ITV |
|---|---|
| A coroner recorded a narrative conclusion into the death of Morgan Ribeiro. | |
| The coroner's office received no response from a Turkish clinic despite repeated attempts. | |
| The government is aware of at least 32 British nationals who died after medical procedures in Turkey in the last six years. | |
| The government is aware of at least 36 British nationals who died after medical procedures in Turkey in the last six years. | |
| The surgeon denied any wrongdoing and claimed that Morgan died from an embolism. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
ITV1's coverage centred on the emotional impact on Morgan's family, particularly the father's grief and the additional tragedy of her mother's suicide. The channel gave a platform to Richard Ribeiro's demands for accountability and highlighted the failure of the Turkish clinic to cooperate with the investigation. It also included government figures on British deaths in Turkey and warned viewers of the dangers of medical tourism.
- “Justice for Morgan has passed. It's been far too long.”
- “The loss of Morgan is gut-wrenching because knowing for a fact that the surgeons, the nurses that were involved in that surgery, are not going to face a single bit of justice.”
- “He's cost me my daughter. He's cost my children and mother.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.