Turkey's port authority docks a vessel due to claims about the captain insulting Erdoğan
A dry cargo vessel was stopped and changed course by Turkey’s port authority, while it was sailing through the Dardanelles, due to reports they received from VTS about the captain’s insulting words about President Erdoğan overheard through the radio relay.
According to the report broadcasted by CNN Türk, the vessel named Salix was being navigated by Turkish captain O.B. when he was allegedly heard talking about Erdoğan in an insulting way. The port authority commanded the captain to stop navigating and hand over duty to the chief mate. The vessel was then ordered to be docked in the north coast of Bozcaada (Tenedos Island).
As prosecutor was immediately informed, the coastal guard at the Bozcaada questioned the captain, who is claimed to have been under influence of alcohol during the time of the conversation overheard from the radio relay.
In a statement given by the head of the port authority of Çanakkale province, Ramazan Yılmaz, it was said legal action has been launched against the captain in response to the information passed on to him by the VTS officials.