An Indonesian university student in Bursa, northwestern Türkiye, recovered her backpack containing her passport, foreign currency and personal belongings just one day before her scheduled flight to Indonesia, after a cleaning worker found the bag on a metro train and handed it over to authorities.
Rahmawati Kualika Foebiannitra had forgotten her backpack on a metro train on Oct. 29 while getting off at Acemler Metro Station to transfer to another line.
The bag was discovered later that night by cleaning worker Ismail Ertürk, who noticed it while cleaning the train at the BursaRay Operations and Maintenance Directorate in the Odunluk neighborhood.
Ertürk informed his supervisor, and the bag was handed over to the lost property office after an official report was filed.
Employees from the personalization unit of Bursa's public transport operator BURULAŞ subsequently reviewed security camera footage, identified the owner and traced her journey before contacting her.
Foebiannitra was invited to the lost property office in the Osmangazi district, where officials verified her identity and confirmed that the belongings inside the backpack were hers before returning it.
The student was due to travel to Indonesia two days later and recovered her passport just one day before her flight.
Security camera footage captured her emotional reaction as she received her belongings, showing her breaking down in tears and prostrating herself in gratitude. Staff members offered her water and cologne to help calm her down.
"I was cleaning a metro train between 11 p.m. and midnight when I noticed a green bag. I first called my supervisor, and together we handed it over to security,” Ertürk said.
"We always do our duty as human beings. I learned that the bag belonged to an Indonesian student and contained her money and passport. I am glad she will not face any problems during her journey. I am even happier than she is that I was able to help someone,” he added.
Lost property office employee Kayhan Özdemir said staff members check items handed in from metro trains and stations before arranging their return to their owners.
He said employees contacted Foebiannitra after discovering that her bag contained a passport and money and completing the necessary official procedures.
"She cried with happiness and prostrated herself. We helped calm her down and offered her water and cologne. She left our office happily, and this made us very happy too,” Özdemir said.