Call from Yankı Bağcıoğlu for 9 missing sailors: 'The work should not be terminated'

Regarding the Tuğberk İmamoğlu ship that sank off the coast of Silivri, Retired Rear Admiral Yankı Bağcıoğlu said, "The work should not be terminated without evaluating all applicable technical options to reach our nine sailors."

In his written statement, Bağcıoğlu stated that the nine missing sailors on the Tuğberk İmamoğlu ship, which sank off the coast of Silivri, have still not been reached, expressed his condolences for the deceased Captain Yaşar Kayhan and expressed their solidarity with the families of the sailors.

Yankı Bağcıoğlu used the following statements:

"The families want the establishment of an independent technical committee consisting of experts experienced in underwater operations, ship salvage and wreck exhumation, the re-examination of existing images, the obtaining of written technical opinions from organizations with deep water rescue capacity from Türkiye and the world, and the results of the meetings held with the relevant institutions and organizations to date.

Their demands are very clear: Work should not be terminated without evaluating all applicable technical options to reach our nine seafarers. If it is not possible to remove the entire ship, in order to remove the bodies of our sailors one by one; Options such as opening suitable holes for controlled access on the shipwreck, searching the closed compartments of the ship with remote-controlled ROVs, even though these holes are limited, or removing the relevant ship section should be examined separately.

"OUR COMMON GOAL IS TO NEVER EXPERIENCE THE SAME PAIN AGAIN"

"Expert and independent expert evaluations must be completed; If the result is 'not possible', this should be explained to the families not verbally but with a reasoned technical report. Officials of relevant public institutions should meet with families directly, not leave their questions unanswered, and provide all the support they need. Although it is known that the activity to be carried out carries serious difficulties, if there is even one thing that can be done, that opportunity should be used to the fullest.

Our state should not give up on its losses. In addition, how the accident occurred should be revealed in all its dimensions. The judicial and administrative process must be carried out meticulously with the support of experts and experts; All factors that may have affected the accident, from ships to ship traffic services, from relevant public institutions to operators, should be examined without any discrimination.

Evaluating all navigational, communication and traffic records that will contribute to clarifying the accident within the scope of the investigation; The responsibilities of the two ships, relevant personnel and institutions must be set out separately. Regardless of who or what institution, if any negligence, deficiency or fault is detected, necessary action must be taken and the necessary measures must be taken without delay to prevent the same deficiencies from causing a similar accident again. "Our common goal should not only be to shed light on all aspects of this accident, but also to prevent the same suffering from happening again."