Famous actor Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ to be heard as a witness

Days after the shattered and semi-submerged boat of businessman Halit Yukay—who had set sail from Yalova on August 4th to go to Bozcaada and was never heard from again—was located, search efforts yielded results off the coast of Erdek, Balıkesir. Following a 19-day search operation, Yukay's lifeless body was found at a depth of 68 meters, brought to the surface by divers, and laid to rest after an autopsy at the Bursa Forensic Medicine Institute.

In the judicial process initiated regarding the incident, an indictment prepared by the Bandırma Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against 10 defendants, who are alleged to have been negligent in Halit Yukay's death, was submitted to the court. In the indictment, the radar records and voyage route of the cargo ship named 'Arel 7' were closely monitored and investigated. Technical examinations conducted by Coast Guard teams revealed friction marks on the front of the ship, indicating a collision. The file also included a comparison of photographs of the ship taken one day before and after the accident to determine the damage sustained.

Criminal laboratory examinations revealed that the paint and marks on the front surface of the 'Arel 7' matched the debris found on Yukay's boat. With the reporting of the similarities in the physical structure, color, and layers of the paint marks, significant evidence was added to the investigation file. Furthermore, it was learned that since no results could initially be obtained from the 'console' device that stores the boat's navigation data, it was sent abroad for detailed examination.

Ship captain Cemal Tokatlıoğlu, in his statement, claimed that he saw 'trash-like objects' in the sea on the day of the incident and did not hit anything, alleging that he gave his initial statement under pressure. Tokatlıoğlu's detention in Yalova, his subsequent release under judicial control, his re-arrest upon the prosecutor's objection, and his release last October have marked the trial process.

A lawsuit was filed against the defendants demanding prison sentences ranging from three to nine years for the crimes of "causing death by negligence" and "failure to fulfill the obligation of assistance and notification." During the first hearing of the case, while arguments occasionally broke out between the lawyers of the parties, the court panel heard the statements of numerous witnesses and defendants during the 11-hour trial.

As the judicial process continues, a decision was made to take the testimony of actor Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ, who was identified as the last person to have a phone conversation with Halit Yukay, as a witness. Tatlıtuğ had previously given a statement in Istanbul as part of the investigation. The court also ruled that Halit Yukay's wife, Rania Stypa Yukay, should be heard via SEGBİS.

The court panel adjourned the hearing to a later date to address the deficiencies in the file. It was stated that requests for an inspection of the ship while in operational condition would be evaluated after the technical reports are completed. As the judicial process and investigation regarding the case proceed with numerous details and technical examinations, the public is following the developments closely.

News Source: 12punto