Prison sentence sought for captain in Halit Yukay death case

Halit Yukay, who set sail from Yalova to Bozcaada on August 4, was found dead off the coast of Erdek, Balıkesir, on August 23, following a 19-day search operation. During the searches conducted while he was missing, it was determined that his boat was shattered and partially submerged.

'AREL 7' SHIP NAMED IN THE ACCIDENT

An investigation was launched into the accident that led to Yukay's death. According to initial findings, the dry cargo ship "Arel 7" struck Halit Yukay's boat. Coast Guard teams found friction marks on the front of the ship following the accident. Criminal investigations determined that these marks matched paint residues from Yukay's boat. These findings were added to the file as evidence strengthening the claim that the ship struck Halit Yukay's boat during the accident.

Following the accident, moments showing the captain of the "Arel 7" ship, Cemal Tokatlıoğlu, and his crew inspecting the front of the ship were captured on security cameras. Footage taken after the ship docked at İzmit Port around 04:00 on the morning of August 5, showing Tokatlıoğlu heading to the front of the ship to conduct an inspection, was included in the file.

ARRESTED SHIP CAPTAIN GIVES STATEMENT

Captain Cemal Tokatlıoğlu was detained on charges of "causing death by negligence" due to the accident. Initially released under judicial control, Tokatlıoğlu was detained again in Istanbul upon the objection of the Yalova Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and was arrested. In his statement, Tokatlıoğlu claimed that the ship was on autopilot during the accident and that the lookout and his assistant were on a meal break.

No results have been obtained so far from the console device that records navigation data on Halit Yukay's boat. The device has been sent abroad for more detailed analysis. This data is expected to provide further information regarding the accident.

YUKAY'S BODY RECOVERED AND LAID TO REST

Halit Yukay's body was recovered from the sea by the TCG Işın and TCG Alemdar ships belonging to the Turkish Naval Forces. The body was then sent to Istanbul, where it was laid to rest.

ARREST AND PRISON SENTENCE DEMAND

The Yalova Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has completed the investigation into Cemal Tokatlıoğlu and has requested a prison sentence of between 3 and 9 years for the crimes of "causing death by negligence" and "failure to fulfill the obligation of assistance and notification." The indictment was submitted to the Erdek Criminal Court of First Instance. With the indictment accepted following 100 days of examination, the trial is expected to begin in the coming days.