New development in the accident that caused the death of Halit Yukay... Ship captain said 'I did not hit any object', family demanded arrest!

A lawsuit has been filed regarding the accident in which the boat of businessman Halit Yukay, who set sail from Yalova to Bozcaada on August 4, was found shattered and semi-submerged. In the case, 10 defendants are accused of causing the death of Halit Yukay. During the hearing, ship captain Cemal Tokatlıoğlu, who was the captain of the dry cargo ship 'Arel 7' suspected of colliding with the boat, presented his defense. Tokatlıoğlu stated that he did not hit any object at the time of the incident and only saw pieces of trash on the left side of the ship.

YUKAY'S BODY FOUND 30 DAYS LATER

Halit Yukay's lifeless body was found on September 3, exactly 30 days after he went missing. His boat was detected in the sea in a shattered state on August 5, but the search efforts reached a conclusion on the 19th day, 7 miles off the coast of Erdek district, at a depth of 68 meters. Yukay's body was recovered by the TCG Alemdar rescue ship. In the investigation launched after the incident, footage of the dry cargo ship 'Arel 7', which is believed to have hit the boat, entering the Port of İzmit was added to the file. In the footage, the ship's captain and crew were recorded while they were docked at the port at the time when the ship had visible scrape marks.

INDICTMENT PREPARED AGAINST SHIP CAPTAIN AND CREW

In the indictment prepared by the Bandırma Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it is requested that ship captain Cemal Tokatlıoğlu be sentenced to 3 to 9 years in prison for the charge of 'causing death by negligence'. Additionally, the shipping company official Arda G. and other crew members are being tried on charges of 'causing death by failing to fulfill the obligation of assistance and notification'. A prison sentence of 1 to 3 years is requested for these defendants.

“I DID NOT HIT, I MANEUVERED”

Defending himself at the hearing, Cemal Tokatlıoğlu stated that he took over the shift at 16:45 on the day of the incident and that devices such as radar and radio were working properly. Tokatlıoğlu said that there was a 1.5-hour distance between the three ships sailing one after another and stated, "I saw things like trash on the left side of the ship, and I also noticed pieces of wood. After maneuvering, I saw something resembling a lifebuoy, but I did not hit any object."

Rejecting his statement at the Coast Guard Command, Tokatlıoğlu emphasized that he did not leave the scene. Stating, "It is out of the question that I left the scene without notifying anyone on the grounds that I was afraid," he claimed that he was not at fault after the accident and requested his acquittal.

Company official Arda G. stated that on the day of the incident, Captain Tokatlıoğlu called him to report that he had passed over some wooden debris and that there were no issues after maneuvering. Based on Tokatlıoğlu's statement that 'there is no need for us to report anything to anyone,' G. indicated that he did not make any notifications.

“ALL DEFENDANTS SHOULD BE ARRESTED”

Emine Selam Esen, the lawyer for Halit Yukay's family, argued that the defendants were denying the documents and that ship captain Tokatlıoğlu, in particular, had deviated from the route commercial vessels are required to follow, proceeding through risky areas. Esen stated that the cause of Yukay's death was drowning and that he had been thrown into the sea by the impact of the collision. Stating that 'Defendant Cemal Tokatlıoğlu caused death through conscious negligence,' Esen emphasized that the other defendants also failed to fulfill their duty to assist and report, and demanded that all defendants be tried while in custody.

COURT TO HEAR WITNESSES

The court rejected the requests for the defendants' arrest and decided to continue the judicial control measures and the international travel ban for defendant Cemal Tokatlıoğlu. The hearing was adjourned to address missing matters and to hear witnesses.

News Source: 12punto