New development in the investigation into the death of businessman Halit Yukay

The investigation into the accident off the coast of Erdek, Balıkesir, which resulted in the death of businessman Halit Yukay (43), who set sail from Yalova on August 4 with his boat named 'Graywolf' to go to Bozcaada, has been completed. A prison sentence of up to 9 years has been requested for Cemal Tokatlıoğlu, the captain of the dry cargo ship 'Arel 7', which allegedly collided with Yukay's yacht.

İHA

The incident occurred on August 4, 2025. The boat of businessman Halit Yukay, who had set sail from the Yalova marina, was found shattered and semi-submerged off the coast of Erdek, Balıkesir. As a result of the extensive efforts of search and rescue teams, Yukay's lifeless body was recovered from the sea approximately 30 days later.

Yukay was laid to rest at the Ümraniye Hekimbaşı Cemetery following a funeral ceremony held at the Marmara University Faculty of Theology Mosque after the noon prayer on September 9, 2025.

The investigation, which was conducted meticulously from the first day, has been completed. The prosecutor's office determined that the ship, which allegedly caused the accident, did not stop after the collision and failed to provide assistance.

In the prepared indictment, a prison sentence of 3 to 9 years has been requested for the detained captain of the dry cargo ship 'Arel 7', Cemal Tokatlıoğlu (61), on charges of 'causing death by negligence' and 'failure to fulfill the obligation of assistance or notification'.

The prepared indictment has been sent to the relevant court.