Turkish Captain, Crew Face Charges Over Fatal Collision Involving Mazu Yachts Founder
Indictment alleges negligent watchkeeping and failure to report collision that killed Halit Yukay; trial set for December.
Turkish prosecutors have issued an indictment seeking prison terms for the captain and crew of the cargo ship Arel 7 following the August death of Mazu Yachts founder Halit Yukay.
Captain Cemal Tokatlıoğlu faces up to nine years in prison, while eight crewmembers and a shoreside representative face one to three years for failing to assist or notify authorities.
According to Turkish news outlet Haberler, investigators concluded that Yukay’s boat Graywolf collided head-on with Arel 7 on 4 August while traveling at full speed. The report says Yukay was primarily at fault but alleges “negligent behaviour” by Tokatlıoğlu.
Although the captain “suddenly felt a tremor” and later saw debris, he did not notify the Coast Guard at the time, despite circling back to the site. He denies a collision occurred.
Search teams located the wreckage of Graywolf on 5 August, but Yukay’s body was not recovered until nearly three weeks later.
Scrape marks on Arel 7 matched the debris, and prosecutors say the ship failed to keep proper lookout. Phone records indicate Yukay was on a call at the moment of impact, and investigators determined he was below deck with little chance of survival.
The indictment states that “the accident occurred due to the failure of the commercial ship to perform the necessary lookout duties while Halit Yukay was traveling at high speed.”
The captain and crew are not currently in custody. The trial begins this month.
Yukay’s family, represented by Ersoy Bilgehan and posting a statement on the Mazu Yachts website, alleges the Arel 7 crew were pressured to stay silent and that they “attempted to obscure evidence”.
The statement criticizes findings that placed primary blame on Yukay and notes concerns over Tokatlıoğlu’s release: “We regret to state that if the Arel 7’s crew had been on duty while underway, and if the ship’s officials and crew had immediately notified the relevant authorities following the collision, Halit Yukay, the late father of two, would still be alive today.”
The family adds that the case “undermines the value of human life and trust in maritime safety” but expresses confidence in the legal process.