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An unmanned sea vehicle was found by fishermen off Yoroz Port in the Çarşıbaşı district of Trabzon, leading authorities to close the port to entry and exit for security reasons.
Late at night, fishermen who set out to sea in Yoroz Port noticed an unmanned sea vehicle in the water.
Upon notification, teams from the Eastern Black Sea Coast Guard Command were dispatched to the area. The vehicle, brought ashore by fishermen, was taken to a secure location by coast guard teams. Extensive security measures were implemented around the port, which was closed to entry and exit.
Expert teams are expected to arrive for a detailed examination of the vehicle.
In a written statement, the governor’s office said: “During fishing off the Yoroz Port in the Çarşıbaşı district, our fishermen detected a foreign-origin object caught in their net. The object was brought to the port and necessary security measures were taken. The Navy’s Underwater Defense (SAS) teams and other security units were informed.”
“The object has been safely secured for examination by expert teams, and the detailed technical examination and investigation process is ongoing. We kindly request our citizens, should they encounter a similar situation, not to intervene and to inform security units immediately,” it added.
Ismail Yılmaz, head of the Fenerköy Fisheries Cooperative, said that the fishermen, who went out to sea at night, brought the unmanned sea vehicle to the port.
“The teams examined the boat and, thinking it contained dangerous material, left it on the dock. I arrived at the port around 2 a.m. The bomb disposal team came and inspected it. We closed the port to fishermen’s entry and exit. The bomb disposal team that arrived in the morning continues its investigations,” Yılmaz said further.
The incident comes as sea mines have been drifting in the Black Sea following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the warring sides have both deployed mines to protect their coastlines, but they have often been displaced by storms, mainly drifting south.
Given the threat to both commercial and military shipping, NATO members Türkiye, Bulgaria and Romania, which border the sea, established the Mine Countermeasures Naval Group (MCM Black Sea) to oversee de-mining operations.
