Court orders record compensation for negligence in ferry accident

ISTANBUL

Hürriyet Photo

Turkey's Transport Ministry and the Maritime Organization have been ordered to pay 1.4 million Turkish Liras in compensation to the families of four people killed in a 2012 accident.

Two married couples - identified as Aysel and Vecdet Eriş, and Zeynep and Ahmet Gülhan - were killed when their car fell into the sea at the Tekirdağ port in May 2012.

The four were travelling from İzmir to Kırıkkale and took the ferry to cross the Marmara Sea. Vecdet Eriş, driving the car, proceeded after getting off the ferry at Tekirdağ port instead of turning right. Eriş was unable to see where he was heading because there were no lighting or warning signs at the port, and the car fell into the sea. All four people in the car died in the accident.

Their families opened a lawsuit against the Transportation Ministry and the Maritime Organization, demanding 3 million liras in compensation. The court found both bodies guilty of negligence in the accident after evaluating an expert report.

Tekirdağ’s First High Criminal Court also sentenced Ali Markal, the port’s director, to six years and eight months in prison last year. Markal was convicted as responsible for the accident after it was found that he did not take necessary safety measures, despite the fact that the port received a negative report due to missing lighting systems and warning signs before the accident.