Kafkametler ship wreck removal completed, bone fragments being examined

The 1421-ton wreckage of the ‘Kafkametler’ ship, which sank in the Ereğli district of ZONGULDAK last November, where 5 people died and 7 people are still missing, has been removed to date. While the wreck removal efforts are coming to an end, 44 of the 64 bone fragments found, 20 of which are animal bones, are being examined.

Communication with the 12 crew members of the dry cargo ship named ‘Kafkametler’, which hit a military breakwater and sank due to a storm while sailing with a cargo from Temryuk Port, Russia, off the coast of Ereğli district on November 19, 2023, has been lost. After the ship sank, the Naval Forces Command, AFAD, Coast Guard Command, Coast Guard and SAS commandos from the special units of the Turkish Armed Forces launched search and rescue operations from air, land and sea to find the missing sailors. The lifeless bodies of 5 people from the ship’s crew were found. Efforts to find the missing Captain Cemal Turan, 3rd Captain Berke Çamurtaş, Chief Engineer Veli Özel, 2nd Machinist Göksel Özel, Master Seaman Satılmış Uslu, Seaman Mustafa Nacar and Yağcı Ömer Hebip have been continuing for 8 months and 25 days.

THE GOVERNORATE MADE A STATEMENT

The Zonguldak Governorship announced in a statement regarding the activities that have been going on for 269 days that the debris removal works have been completed. In the statement, which stated that 1421 tons of debris had been removed and that small pieces that could damage the breakwater were left behind when removed, the statements were included: “As of December 14, 2023, Aras Salvage Ship-Wreck salvage company has been involved in the debris removal activities of the ‘Kafkametler’ ship. Approximately 1421 tons of debris has been removed in the period from the specified date to the present.” In the statement, which stated that 20 of the 64 bone fragments found within the scope of the works were animal bones, it was said: “The 64 pieces of bone identified were delivered to the Forensic Medicine Institute for examination. As a result of the examinations conducted by the Forensic Medicine Institute, it was determined that 20 bone fragments were animal bones, and the examinations of the remaining 44 pieces of bone are continuing.”

‘SCANNING ACTIVITIES REGARDING FUNERALS CONTINUE’

The statement, in which the removed wreckage of the ship was explained with visuals and it was stated that the removal of the wreckage was completed, said, “There is no large piece left under the water, and it is foreseen that removing some small pieces of sheet metal that remained under the blocks of the breakwater may cause damage to the breakwater. As of this date, the wreckage removal activities have been completed and the work has been concluded, and the scanning activities of the Coast Guard elements regarding the bodies at sea and on the shore continue.”