A former BBC journalist – Jacky Sutton, 50, was found dead in a toilet at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport under mysterious circumstances, according to a report published on the BBC website.
She was the acting Iraq director for the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) and had been travelling to Irbil, northern Iraq.
Ms Sutton arrived at Ataturk Airport on a flight from London on Saturday and had a two-hour wait for a connecting flight, which she apparently missed, the BBC reports.
“Local media are reporting that she didn’t have enough money to purchase a replacement ticket and then she was found dead in the toilets a couple of hours later,” he added.
“What exactly happened though is not known.”
The London-based IWPR supports local journalism in countries affected by conflict and crisis.
Its previous Iraq director Ammar Al Shahbander was killed in a car bomb attack in Baghdad on 2 May and a memorial service was held for him in London last week, according to the IWPR website. Ms Sutton had been in London attending the service.
Ms Sutton worked for the BBC World Service between 1998 and 2000, reporting from Africa, the Middle East and London.
She also served in senior roles at the United Nations.
