Sunken ship off Çeşme poses risk to ships

İZMİR – Demirören News Agency

A sunken ship off the district of Çeşme in İzmir province in western Anatolia poses a risk to ships sailing towards the İzmir Gulf, said locals, pointing to a recent accident.

“If a precaution is not taken, the disaster is around the corner. The ship pole is only 40 centimeters below the water surface. Luxurious yachts, fishermen and recreational crafts are using this route,” said a local named Bülent Karaalp, who owns a yacht.

On July 7, a yacht with six on board, including the captain, hit the pole of the sunken ship. The yacht named “Giada” started taking in water, leading the captain to notify the coastguard and requiring a rescue. The coastguard then pulled the yacht to the Çeşme Marina for it to be examined for repair.

The 75-meter-long ship, named “Monem,” sank off Alev Island in 2004 as it was being towed toward the Port of Aliağa and remains there to this day.

The ‘Montem’ sunken ship stands at an 18-meter depth, but its pole is only 40 centimeters below the water surface and is not visible from outside the water, Karaalp said.

“And radars can be misleading,” Karaalp said. “A radar deviation of 20 to 30 meters means a disaster.”