GOKBEL

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Latest news

Body of Gökbel crew member finally identified

On Nov 5, 2015, the Turkish national Kucukbiyik Yigit, 36, whose Body was found at the coast of Fano in an advanced state of decomposition and with no document in what remained of the clothes, could be identified by the examination of DNA, prepared by the Public Prosecutor at the Court of Pesaro. The body will now be repatriated to the Turkey. Until recently, two names of crew members of the "Gökbel" sinking off Ravenna were still missing. The wreck of the ship had been raised on Aug 6 by a sheeleg of Smit Salvage and Fratelli Neri from Livorno. the recovery operation had started on May 7 with the draining of fuel oil after which began the parbuckling of the hull, a complex operation which involved 50 men and was made even more difficult by adverse weather and sea conditions. The 1000-ton-pontoon "Italia" was used to turn the hull upright, being assisted by the tug "Nos Aries" of the Fratelli Neri. The wreck was towed to the Turkey then. French report with photos: http://www.ilrestodelcarlino.it/ravenna/gokbel-recupero-nave-concluso-1.1201657

Body of missing sailor found?

On Feb 4, 2015, staff of the fire rescue and the port master have recovered the body of a man, sighted off the beach of Mezzavalle near Conero which might have been one of the four Turkish sailors who were missing since the sinking of the "Gökbel" off Ravenna. The bodies of two other sailors had been recovered in recent days in Fano and Pesaro.

Families to sue Italy over ships’ collision

Families of Turkish sailors who died in the collision of two vessels on Dec. 28, 2014 in Italy are preparing to file a lawsuit against Italian authorities for negligence. Three Turkish sailors aboard the Turkish-flagged Gökbel are still missing while the bodies of three others were recovered from the site of the collision off the port of Ravenna in Italy. The body of Zeynel Üstün, 46, was found in an unrecognizable state some 25 days after the collision when it washed ashore 300 kilometers away from the site of the accident. Ulvi Üstün, the brother of the victim, claimed that Italian port authorities were at fault for the collision, in particular, the operator responsible for directing the sea traffic arriving at and departing from the port. Üstün said that they have hired a lawyer and will file a lawsuit of negligence against Italian officials after they received the body of his brother. "We will not let them to cover it up," he said. The Turkish-flagged vessel was leaving the port when it collided with the Belize-flagged Lady Aziza. The Turkish ship sank, while the other vessel was heavily damaged in the accident.