10 killed as naval tugboat tilts on its side in İzmir

The Turkish Naval Forces (TDK) tugboat, the TCG Değirmendere, was being launched into the Aegean Sea around midday after receiving repairs at the shipyard. However, the boat started to list and take on water, eventually tipping over and settling on one side next to the dock.

Six of the injured, including civilians who were on the tugboat, were taken to Karşıyaka State Hospital. Three were transported to Ege University Hospital for treatment, where they subsequently died. Six people who suffered light injuries have since been discharged from hospital. Search and rescue teams were sent in to look for three soldiers who went missing, but as of Monday evening they had not been found.

Following the incident, İzmir Governor Mustafa Toprak visited the Alaybey Naval Shipyard. Later, the mayor of the Karşıyaka district, Cevat Durak, also visited the scene and spoke to the officials in charge of the shipyard. Later in the day, İzmir Governor Toprak made an announcement that six soldiers and one worker of the tugboat died in the incident, while search for three soldiers continued. The General Staff issued a statement on its official website to report the accident and explained that it happened after repairs had been completed on the tugboat. The cause of the accident, according to the statement, remains unknown.