Colin Macy-O’Toole is supporting João Franco after the Below Deck alum was arrested in Turkey following a fatal fight. Colin, who did not witness the incident, shared that João appeared to be acting in self-defense, based on his understanding of the situation.
Colin urges caution following the fatal fight in Turkey
Following João’s arrest, Colin, who previously worked alongside him on Below Deck Mediterranean, has shared his reaction. The two appeared together in Season 3, with Colin serving as a junior deckhand and João as the lead deckhand. They also returned for Season 4, during which João held the position of bosun.
Colin told Page Six, “Having seen the video footage, my impression is that João appeared to be trying to defend himself and de-escalate an already escalating situation.” He added, “From what is visible, it doesn’t look to me like he was looking to start a confrontation. It looks like he was reacting to what was happening around him.”
João was reportedly arrested alongside his brother, Karlos Franco, following a dispute with employees outside a clothing store in the Bodrum district of Muğla on November 7.
Reports from local media suggest that the brothers allegedly exchanged profanities with the employees before the confrontation turned physical. Footage obtained by Page Six seemingly shows Karlos throwing the first punch. João, 36, appeared to intervene and attempted to pull his brother away from the employee. However, the fight continued.
The brawl reportedly left a 17-year-old employee with a head injury after he fell to the ground. He was taken to a local hospital following cardiac arrest but was later pronounced dead.
