M/V Zorbey Dry Bulk Carrier
The Cambodia-flagged dry cargo vessel named Zorbey, measuring 114 meters in length and with a gross tonnage of 2,400, departed from the Port of Yeisk in Russia in November 2011 en route to the Port of Famagusta in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Off the coast of Üçağız village in Demre, the ship struck the rocks. Carrying 301,970 tons of wheat, the vessel suffered damage to its engine room, listed to one side, and began taking on water. All 15 crew members on board, including two women, were rescued by the Coast Guard Boat Command teams. Following the accident, due to a fuel leak, the vessel was towed outside the Kekova Gulf by a tugboat dispatched from the Antalya Port Authority. Over time, the ship sank completely.
Since then, the wreck had been abandoned. Recently, however, salvage operations began to remove the vessel piece by piece from underwater. Industrial divers are cutting the ship into sections using underwater metal cutting equipment, and the salvaged metal parts are being lifted to the surface with cranes and transported to the port on powered pontoons. The dismantling and complete removal of the wreck is expected to be completed within 2 to 3 months.