Video shows details of irregular migrant op. in international waters

OFF NAPLES, ITALY (JUNE 9, 2023) (TURKISH TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE MINISTRY – FOR EDITORIAL USE) - A Turkish ship that was attacked by armed stowaways was secured by Italian security forces off the southern city of Naples and docked at port in the city, on Saturday (June 10). “The operation, which we followed and coordinated from the beginning to the end, was successfully completed,” said the Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu on Twitter. Sharing the footages of the operation, Uraloglu also thanked all the officials who worked to secure the Turkish flagged Galata Seaways ship from the stowaways. "The ship's hijackers have been captured. All ended well," Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto wrote on Twitter and congratulated security forces taking part in the operation to regain control of the ship. Crosetto told reporters earlier that stowaways, who he described as a group of illegal immigrants with "dagger-type weapons," took control of the Turkish-flagged Galata Seaways ro-ro ship, which was sailing from Türkiye's Yalova province to the French port of Sete. There were Syrian, Afghan and Iraqi nationals among the 15 irregular migrants and two of them were women, according to Italy’s ANSA news agency. It was reported that the illegal migrants were taken to the Naples Police Department. Following the operation by two Navy helicopters, coast guard personnel and customs police, control of the ship was regained off Naples. Türkiye's General Directorate of Maritime Affairs (DGM) said relevant authorities were alerted at 11.20 a.m. local Turkish time that 15 stowaways with dagger-type knives were detected onboard. The crew locked them in safe areas to secure themselves. (Footage by Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Ministry-AA/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)