Fire drill on a car ferry in İzmir: Divers rescue those who jumped into the sea

Scenarios for vehicle fires, evacuation, casualty rescue, and maritime intervention were carried out during the drill held at the Üçkuyular Ferry Terminal.

12punto 02 October 2026

The İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Fire Department conducted a comprehensive drill on a car ferry operating in the bay to prepare for potential emergencies in maritime transport.

In the drill organized at the Üçkuyular Ferry Terminal as part of Firefighters' Week, in cooperation with the Fire Department and İZDENİZ, a fire broke out in a vehicle being transported on the ship, according to the scenario. Upon notification, fire crews and AKS ambulances were dispatched to the area.

A scenario involving intervention on the car ferry using a ladder truck was carried out during the drill.

While the teams intervened in the vehicle where the fire was assumed to have started, they also ensured the safe evacuation of the passengers on the ship. Passengers portrayed as injured were taken to a safe zone and handed over to medical teams.

In the casualty evacuation scenario, teams intervened with the support of stretchers and ambulances.

In the maritime phase of the drill, it was assumed that two passengers jumped into the sea due to panic caused by the fire and heavy smoke. Diver teams from the İzmir Fire Department Search and Rescue Branch reached the victims who were calling for help by boat.

According to the scenario, diver teams and a fire department boat intervened with the victims who jumped into the sea.

The two people pulled from the water were taken onto the fire department boat and brought to the shore. The rescued victims were given a health check, wrapped in thermal blankets to prevent them from being affected by the cold, and then handed over to medical teams.

Fire, medical, and rescue teams took part in the drill simultaneously.

“THE PEOPLE OF İZMİR CAN REST EASY”

Ahmet Karaman, Head of the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Fire Department, stated that they have conducted numerous drills for different emergency scenarios as part of Firefighters' Week. Karaman said that these efforts strengthen the teams' level of preparedness and inter-institutional coordination.

The people of İzmir can rest easy. The İzmir Fire Department teams are aware of the responsibility they have undertaken. We continue our preparations against all kinds of incidents. Through these drills, we are constantly improving our teams' coordination with different institutions and their intervention capacity.
— Ahmet Karaman, Head of the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Fire Department

The handover of casualties pulled from the water to medical teams was also simulated during the drill.

The drill concluded with the unfurling of a Turkish flag from the İzmir Fire Department's 22-meter ladder truck.

At the end of the drill, a Turkish flag was unfurled from the ladder truck.

The fire department boat took part in the maritime intervention scenario.