MV Mavi Marmara leaving Antalya for Gaza on May 22, 2010
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History | |
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Comoros | |
Name | MV Mavi Marmara |
Owner | IHH (İnsani Yardım Vakfı)[3] |
Operator | IHH (İnsani Yardım Vakfı)[3] |
Builder | Türkiye Gemi Sanayi A.Ş.[4] |
Yard number | 302[4] |
Completed | November 9, 1994[2] |
Homeport | Moroni, Comoros (2010). Previously Istanbul, Turkey |
Identification | IMO number: 9005869[1] |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Passenger ship |
Tonnage | 4,142 GT GT uses unsupported parameter (help) |
Length | 93 m (305 ft)[1] |
Beam | 20 m (66 ft)[1] |
Draft | 4 m (13 ft)[6] |
Installed power | 4,400 kW[2] |
Propulsion | 2[2] |
Speed | max. 9.9 knots (18.3 km/h; 11.4 mph)- avg. 7.2 knots (13.3 km/h; 8.3 mph)[6] |
Capacity | 1,080 passengers[5] |
MV Mavi Marmara (English: Blue Marmara, where MV is an abbreviation of motor vessel) is a Comoros-flagged [7] passenger ship, which was formerly owned and operated by İDO Istanbul Fast Ferries Co. Inc. on the line Sarayburnu, Istanbul-Marmara Island-Avşa Island in the Sea of Marmara. Built at the Golden Gate Shipyard by Turkish Shipbuilding Co. in 1994, the ship has a capacity of 1,080 passengers.[5]
Gaza Freedom Flotilla
The ship was purchased in 2010 by a controversial Turkish charity IHH (İnsani Yardım Vakfı), the Foundation for Human Rights and Freedom and Humanitarian Relief. It joined a flotilla of ships operated by activist groups from 37 different countries with the intention of directly confronting the Gaza blockade and bringing in humanitarian aid and supplies. The IHH acquired the ship at a cost of $800,000, to be defrayed by public donations, as no shipowner was willing to risk their vessel on the journey.[3]
On 31 May 2010, while en route to Gaza, commandos from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) raided and seized the MV Mavi Marmara in international waters after communicating warnings that a naval blockade of the Gaza area was in force.[8] In the violent clash that followed, nine militants were killed (according to the UN Report[9]), and several dozen activists were injured. Israel stated that at least seven of its IDF soldiers were injured.[10]
The Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that "the Mavi Marmara (passenger ship) did not carry any humanitarian aid, except for the passengers' personal belongings." .[11] Israel says that they have found knives, metal and wood sticks in the ship.[12] The UN report states that knives from the ship's kitchens (plus one traditional, ceremonial knife), some catapults (slingshots) and metal pipes the passengers cut from the ship's railings were found.
Release and return home
Israeli government decided on July 23, 2010 to release the three ships of the Gaza Freedom flotilla, two of which were forced to moor at the Port of Haifa and the third one at the Port of Ashdod since then. To bring the ships back home, three tugboats were dispatched from Turkey. Mavi Marmara was towed by Ocean Ergün in a two-day ride to the Port of Iskenderun arriving an August 7, 2010.[13]
The damage on the ship was visible from far even though nobody was permitted to board her due to investigations underway by the public prosecutor and insurance people. There were some broken windows on the ship and also bullet holes on the glass of the pilothouse. The IHH emblem on the ship's port side was over-painted white.[14] Forensic teams claimed to have identified some 250 bullet holes in the ship, many of which were painted or plastered over by Israel.[15]
The ship returned to Istanbul harbour on December 26, 2010, in a welcoming ceremony attended by thousands.[16]
Ship's registry
- ex MS Beydağı[4]
Sister ships
- MS TDI Karadeniz,[4] since renamed MS Dream.[citation needed]
References
- ^ a b c "MS Mavi Marmara". Digital Seas. Retrieved 2010-05-31.
- ^ a b c "Detay Gemi Listesi" (PDF) (in Turkish). Izmir Maritime Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved 2010-05-31. |
- ^ a b c "Turkish rights group's cargo ship to set sail with Gaza aid". Hürriyet. 13 May 2010.
- ^ a b c d "Mavi Marmara" (in Turkish). Tür Gemileri. Retrieved 2010-05-31.
- ^ a b "Mavi Marmara Yolcu Gemisi" (in Turkish). IDO. Retrieved 2010-05-31.
- ^ a b "M/S Mavi Marmara" (in Turkish). Marine Traffic. Retrieved 2010-05-31.
- ^ "İsrail 'uluslararası suları' kabul etti". 1 June 2010.
- ^ "Details emerge of bloodshed aboard Gaza-bound ship". 2 June 2010. Archived from the original on 6 June 2010.
- ^ Human Rights Council. Fifteenth session
- ^ "Deaths as Israeli forces storm Gaza aid ship". BBC News. 31 May 2010.
- ^ "Summary of equipment and aid aboard the Gaza flotilla". Israel MFA. 7 Jun 2010.
- ^ Maj-Gen (res.) Eiland presents conclusions of examination team 12 Jul 2010
- ^ "Mavi Marmara gemisi Türkiye doğru yola çıkıyor". Hürriyet (in Turkish). 2010-08-04.
- ^ "'Mavi Marmara' İskenderun'da". Hürriyet (in Turkish). 2010-08-07.
- ^ Radikal (in Turkish). 2010-08-10 http://www.radikal.com.tr/Radikal.aspx?aType=RadikalDetay&ArticleID=1013066&Date=11.08.2010&CategoryID=77.
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(help) - ^ "Thousands greets Mavi Marmara aid ship". Today's Zaman. 2010-12-26.
External links
Media related to M/S Mavi Marmara at Wikimedia Commons