Yacht captain on reality show 'Below Deck' arrested in Turkey after teenager dies

ISTANBUL (AP) — A participant in the U.S. reality TV show “Below Deck” has been arrested in Turkey over a fight in the resort city of Bodrum that left a 17-year-old dead, local media reported Thursday. Joao Franco, 36, and his brother Carlos allegedly became involved in an altercation with shopkeepers in Bodrum last Saturday evening, according to the private Demiroren News Agency. Franco, whom the agency identified as a yacht captain, appeared in the Bravo channel’s “Below Deck Down Under” and “Below Deck Mediterranean” from 2018, as well as “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.” The brothers were intoxicated and an argument broke out when they started swearing, Demiroren reported. During the subsequent fight, teenager Muhammet Koyabakan fell and hit his head on the ground. He was taken to a hospital but died on Monday. The Franco brothers, who are Portuguese nationals, were detained and later formally arrested. News reports did not specify the charges against them, but Demiroren said they told police they were attacked and acted in self-defense. They denied hitting Koyabakan. Bodrum, a port city on the Aegean Sea, is a favored spot for wealthy yacht owners. Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos are among the billionaires who have visited in recent years. More from this section Local News Video: Behind the Scenes of “If These Walls Could Talk” Nov 9, 2026 Texas Cheapest gas stations in Laredo Updated Nov 9, 2026 News Exclusive: AP granted rare access to European Union naval patrol fighting piracy in the Gulf of Aden Updated Nov 10, 2026 News Heat-trapping carbon pollution drops, but scientists cite the Iran war rather than energy progress Updated Nov 10, 2026 Inside Killeen Podcast