Nicosia: The Turkish Navy has announced the initiation of the most extensive search operation in the Mediterranean Sea to locate 16 missing individuals following the sinking of the passenger ship Velojet. This marks the deepest underwater search and rescue mission ever conducted in the region.
According to National Iraqi News Agency, Rear Admiral Baybars K§katay and Rear Admiral Eren Gnay, Commander of Underwater Operations in the Turkish Navy, shared these details with journalists on the search and rescue vessel TCG Alemdar. The ship sank off the coast of Northern Cyprus last Sunday. The operation aims to recover both the missing persons and the ship’s black box.
Rear Admiral K§katay reported that 800 naval personnel are involved in the operations using ships and aircraft. The vessel TCG Isen is assisting the main vessel TCG Alemdar, with efforts spanning the sea surface, seabed, underwater, and the coastline. In the last 48 hours, the bodies of four individuals out of the 20 initially missing have been recovered and handed over to authorities.
K§katay highlighted that a rover is being used for the continued search, with the shipwreck currently located at a depth of 554 meters. The vessel’s capability to reach depths up to 3,000 meters makes this the deepest underwater rescue operation in the area.
Rear Admiral Gnay explained that the operation involves two search and rescue vessels, divers, and commando forces. He emphasized Turkey’s position as one of nine countries globally with the capability for deep-sea search operations, leveraging advanced technology and skilled personnel.
Gnay also mentioned that the state is fully utilizing its resources to locate the missing citizens by maintaining continuous search operations, offering condolences to the victims’ families. The TCG Alemdar, weighing 4,200 tons and equipped with a platform for ambulance helicopters, is deploying dynamic positioning systems and sonar to aid its primary missions.
Last Sunday, ‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬¦¡¬¦€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬¦€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦€š¬…€œnal ‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬¦¡¬¦€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬¦€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦€š¬…€œstl, the Prime Minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, reported the rescue of 237 people and the deaths of 7 others from the ship, which was transporting 267 individuals from a Cypriot port to Mersin in southern Turkey. ‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬€š¬…¡¬¦¡¬¦€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬€š¬¦¡¬¦€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬€¦¡¬¦€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦¡¬‚¬Å¡¬¦€š¬…¡¬‚¬¦€š¬…€œstl noted that the passenger ship, owned by a private company, departed from Girne port in Cyprus for Tasucu port in Mersin province, carrying 259 passengers and 8 crew members.