Tekirdağ commemorates Ertuğrul Frigate sailors

A memorial ceremony was held in Tekirdağ, Turkey, to honor the 527 Ottoman sailors who perished on the Ertuğrul Frigate. The event took place at the Ertuğrul Frigate Monument in the Süleymanpaşa district.

In 1890, the Ertuğrul Frigate was sent by Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II to Japan to convey messages of friendship to Emperor Meiji. While returning from Japan, the ship encountered a severe storm and struck rocks near Cape Kashinozaki on September 16, 1890. While 527 sailors lost their lives, 69 crew members were rescued by Japanese fishermen. The assistance provided by the Japanese people following the disaster is cited as a foundational element of the enduring friendship between Turkey and Japan.

The ceremony included local officials, including Tekirdağ Governor Recep Soytürk and Metropolitan Mayor Candan Yüceer. Participants honored Lieutenant Ali Bey, the ship's commander and a native of the Tekirdağ region. The program concluded with prayers for the deceased and the laying of wreaths in the sea.