The Lake Van Monster
In Türkiye's largest lake, people say they have seen a huge dark creature rise from the salty water.
What was reported
Lake Van, in eastern Türkiye, is a vast salty lake surrounded by mountains. From the mid-1990s, people began reporting a large, dark creature in the water, and newspapers named it the Lake Van Monster.
In 1997, Ünal Kozak, a teaching assistant at the local university, released a video he said showed the creature swimming near the surface, which was shown around the world.
Explanations offered
Scientists point out that Lake Van's very salty, alkaline water supports few fish, and could not feed a large animal. Analysts of the video questioned whether it showed a model or something being towed. Some local people saw the whole story as a way to attract tourists.
- When
- Reports since 1995
- Where
- Lake Van, Türkiye
- Witnesses
- Residents and a university assistant
- Status
- Disputed
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.