Turkey – Fisherman Cüneyt Ekşi missing at sea near Gerze, Sinop (20 March 2014)

[MrCharmichael]

Cüneyt Ekşi, a fisherman from the coastal town of Gerze in Sinop, Turkey, has been missing since March 20, 2014, after going out to sea alone in his fishing boat in the early morning hours.

According to local reports, Ekşi left the harbor at approximately 05:00 AM to fish near Köşk Burnu, about 4–5 nautical miles offshore in waters estimated to be 40–50 fathoms deep.

At around 06:30 AM, he called his mother and told her he would return within half an hour. However, he never came back. At approximately 07:00 AM, his father, Şükrü Ekşi, attempted to call him but was unable to reach him.

By 08:00 AM, the family notified the Turkish Coast Guard, and search and rescue operations were launched. Local fishermen from the Gerze Fisheries Cooperative joined the search efforts, and helicopter support was requested to scan the area from the air.

Despite extensive search operations, no trace of Cüneyt Ekşi, his boat, or any debris has ever been found. No wreckage, personal belongings, or equipment were recovered from the sea.

• Are there known cases in the Black Sea where both a fisherman and his vessel disappeared without leaving any debris?
• How common is it for small fishing boats to sink without floating wreckage being discovered?
• Could strong currents in the Black Sea carry debris far from the last known location?

CnnTürk
HaberTürk
Aksam Newspaper

 

[GraceG]

Cüneyt Ekşi, a fisherman from the coastal town of Gerze in Sinop, Turkey, has been missing since March 20, 2014, after going out to sea alone in his fishing boat in the early morning hours.

According to local reports, Ekşi left the harbor at approximately 05:00 AM to fish near Köşk Burnu, about 4–5 nautical miles offshore in waters estimated to be 40–50 fathoms deep.

At around 06:30 AM, he called his mother and told her he would return within half an hour. However, he never came back. At approximately 07:00 AM, his father, Şükrü Ekşi, attempted to call him but was unable to reach him.

By 08:00 AM, the family notified the Turkish Coast Guard, and search and rescue operations were launched. Local fishermen from the Gerze Fisheries Cooperative joined the search efforts, and helicopter support was requested to scan the area from the air.

Despite extensive search operations, no trace of Cüneyt Ekşi, his boat, or any debris has ever been found. No wreckage, personal belongings, or equipment were recovered from the sea.

• Are there known cases in the Black Sea where both a fisherman and his vessel disappeared without leaving any debris?
• How common is it for small fishing boats to sink without floating wreckage being discovered?
• Could strong currents in the Black Sea carry debris far from the last known location?

CnnTürk
HaberTürk
Aksam Newspaper

You didn't state how "small" the fishing boat was but boats of all sizes have disappeared in waters across the globe witout leaving any debris behind that was found. It's not uncommon at all.

Currents can carry debris in large bodies of water a sizeable distance. The Black Sea features a major surface circulation system known as the Rim Current a counter-clockwise boundary current that encircles the basin at speeds of 0.5–1 m/s. This main current is accompanied by smaller eddies and is flanked by a dense, saline, deep-water inflow from the Bosporus Strait, which is often described as an underwater river. https://tos.org/oceanography/assets/docs/18-2_stanev.pdf

It is also known for having strong storms.

This is the most current incident of a boat lost fishing there. Fishing vessel vanishes sparking search off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast