25.10.2026 00:11
In the Ayvalık district of Balıkesir, a private boat named "Elif'im" carrying 9 people took on water and sank off Kız Island. Coast Guard teams rescued 8 people alive, including 2 children. Dr. Şahin B., who works as an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist in Burhaniye, went missing at sea. A large-scale search operation was launched to find the doctor, using 6 boats, a dive team, a helicopter, and an unmanned aerial vehicle.
Eight people were rescued in a boat accident that occurred in the evening hours in the Ayvalık district of Balıkesir, while teams were mobilized to find a missing doctor.
THE BOAT CARRYING 9 PEOPLE TOOK ON WATER AND SANK
The incident occurred around 20:00 on October 24, 2026, off Kız Island in Ayvalık district. According to reports, the private boat named "Elif'im", carrying 7 men and 2 children, began taking on water from its lower section. After the boat took on water and sank within a short time, a call for help was made to the region. Teams from the Coast Guard Command, upon receiving the report, took action to rescue the people on the boat.
6 BOATS, A HELICOPTER AND DIVERS WERE DISPATCHED
After information was received that the boat had sunk, a large-scale search and rescue team was sent to the region. 6 Coast Guard boats, 1 Coast Guard Dive Team, 1 unmanned aerial vehicle and 1 helicopter participated in the search and rescue efforts. The teams began work to reach the people found on the sea surface in the area where the boat sank.
8 PEOPLE, 2 OF THEM CHILDREN, WERE RESCUED ALIVE
With the intervention of Coast Guard teams, 6 men and 2 children in the sea were rescued alive. It was stated that the 8 rescued people were conscious. The accident victims taken aboard the Coast Guard boats were brought to the Ayvalık Coast Guard Pier. The 8 people handed over to medical teams there were taken to Ayvalık State Hospital for examination and treatment.
TWO FINGERS OF ONE PERSON WERE SEVERED
A notable injury was detected during the medical examinations of the accident victims taken to the hospital. It was determined that two fingers of one of the rescued people had been severed. While the examination and treatment of the victims at the hospital continued, teams intensified their efforts to reach the ninth person on the boat.
IT EMERGED THAT THE MISSING PERSON WAS A DOCTOR
Based on information provided by the rescued people, it was determined that one person on the boat was missing. It was reported that the person missing at sea was Dr. Şahin B., who works as an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist in Burhaniye. Coast Guard teams continued search efforts for the doctor both from the sea and from the air.
STATEMENT CAME FROM THE COAST GUARD
The Coast Guard Command made a statement regarding the work carried out after the incident. The statement included the following statements: "On October 24, 2026, upon receiving information that a private boat had sunk south of Kız Island in the Ayvalık district of Balıkesir province, 6 Coast Guard Boats (TCSG-28,TCSG-6,TCSG-907,KB-111,KB-32,KB-4305), 1 Coast Guard Dive Team (DEGAK-12), 1 Coast Guard Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (TCSG-574) and 1 Coast Guard Helicopter (TCSG-505) were immediately dispatched to the scene. As a result of the search and rescue activities initiated, 8 people were rescued alive and conscious from the sea surface by the assigned Coast Guard elements and taken aboard the Coast Guard Boat and transferred to the Ayvalık Coast Guard Pier. In line with information obtained from the rescued persons, search and rescue activities continue for 1 person who is known to be missing."