Families demand search for nine missing sailors after Tuğberk İmamoğlu shipwreck

Families of nine missing sailors are campaigning to prevent the cessation of search efforts following the sinking of the vessel Tuğberk İmamoğlu. The ship sank off the coast of Silivri in the Marmara Sea on September 2 after colliding with the tanker Alsu.

While the body of Captain Yaşar Kayhan was recovered on September 14, nine crew members remain missing. The wreckage has been located at a depth of approximately 720 meters by the TCG Akın, belonging to the Naval Forces Command. Authorities have reportedly informed families that recovery operations may be impossible due to the depth and technical limitations.

In response, families have launched a petition demanding that all technical options be exhausted. They are calling for an independent committee of experts, including marine salvage and ship construction engineers, to evaluate the feasibility of recovery. The families are requesting a formal, reasoned technical report based on ROV footage and sonar data rather than verbal explanations, and are asking for written opinions from domestic and international organizations experienced in deep-sea operations.