Ertuğrul frigate artifacts at permanent exhibition

MERSİN – Anadolu Agency

DHA photo

Artifacts removed from the Ertuğrul frigate as part of the Ertuğrul Project underwater excavations are on display at a permanent exhibition at the Mersin Naval Museum in the southern province of Mersin. 

Tufan Turanlı, the head of the Ertuğrul frigate underwater excavation, said in the opening that it was the 12th exhibition of the Ertuğrul frigate. 

He that this exhibition was different from others because it was a permanent exhibition, and continued: 

“A total of 340 pieces will be on permanent display in Mersin. They were sent from Mersin’s sibling city of Kushimoto [in Japan]. As you know, the Ertuğrul sank on Sept. 18, 1890, in a typhoon. Its cannons, weapons and the other tools were removed from the sea and sent to Istanbul. Contrary to what is believed, we don’t have many things from the huge 78-meter frigate.  During 11 year of excavations and diving, we removed nearly 8,300 pieces. Among them, 340 are now in Mersin.” 

The Ertuğrul frigate, which went to Japan with a mission of friendship, sank near the Japanese city of Kushimoto after breaking into pieces on the rocks of Oshima Island on Sept. 18, 1890, causing the death of 550 Turkish sailors.