MV Mavi Marmara
Encyclopedia
MV (Blue Marmara, where MV is an abbreviation of motor vessel) is a Comoros
-flagged 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.
ic Turkish
NGO active as a charity organization in more than 115 countries. The group has represented its Turkish language name in English in various ways, "IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation" among them. It has held Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council
since 2004, and is endorsed by international figures that include South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire. Israel's Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center
, an NGO with close ties to the Israeli Defense Forces, along with multiple Israeli governmental officials have alleged that the IHH supports terrorism, has smuggled arms on behalf of terrorist groups, and has links to al-Qaeda and other Jihadist groups. The IHH denies these claims, and Greta Berlin, a director of the Free Gaza Movement
, called the claims "utterly scurrilous", characterizing them as an attempt by the Israeli government to discredit the movement.
The IHH acquired the Mavi Marmara at a cost of $800,000, to be defrayed by public donations, as no shipowner was willing to risk their vessel on the journey. The ship took part in a flotilla of ships operated by activist groups from 37 different countries with the intention of directly confronting the Israeli blockade over Gaza. On 30 May 2010, while in international waters
and en route to Gaza, Israeli Naval Forces communicated that a naval blockade over the Gaza area was in force and ordered the ships to follow them to Ashdod Port or to be boarded, the ships declined and were boarded in international waters.The boarding started at 2 a.m. on 31 May 2010 and was completed by 8 a.m. Reports from journalists on the ship and from the UN report on the incident concluded that the Israeli military opened fire with live rounds before boarding the ship. In the violent clash that followed, nine activists were killed (according to the UN Report), and several dozen activists were injured. Israel stated that at least seven of its IDF soldiers were injured.
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."They also stated that other ships in the aid convoy actually carried the aid.
Israel
said that they found knives, metal and wood sticks in the ship. The UN report stated 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. Turkey unveiled its final report on Israeli attack on Gaza-bound aid convoy on 11 Feb 2011.
and the third one at the Port of Ashdod
since then. To bring the ships back home, three tugboat
s were dispatched from Turkey. Mavi Marmara was towed by Ocean Ergun in a two-day ride to the Port of Iskenderun
arriving an August 7, 2010.
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. Forensic teams identified some 250 bullet holes in the ship, many of which were painted or plastered over by Israel.
The ship returned to Istanbul
harbour on December 26, 2010, in a welcoming ceremony attended by thousands.
Comoros
The Comoros , officially the Union of the Comoros is an archipelago island nation in the Indian Ocean, located off the eastern coast of Africa, on the northern end of the Mozambique Channel, between northeastern Mozambique and northwestern Madagascar...
-flagged passenger ship, which was formerly owned and operated by İDO Istanbul Fast Ferries Co. Inc.
Ido
Ido is a constructed language created with the goal of becoming a universal second language for speakers of different linguistic backgrounds as a language easier to learn than ethnic languages...
on the line Sarayburnu
Sarayburnu
Sarayburnu is a promontory separating the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara in Istanbul, Turkey. The area is where the renowned Topkapı Palace and Gülhane Park stand...
, Istanbul-Marmara Island
Marmara Island
Marmara is a Turkish island in the Sea of Marmara. It is the largest island in the Sea of Marmara that is the center of Marmara district in Balıkesir Province...
-Avşa Island
Avsa
Avşa Island or Türkeli is a Turkish island in the southern Sea of Marmara. It was the classical and Byzantine Aphousia or Ophiousa and was a place of exile during the Byzantine period....
in the Sea of Marmara
Sea of Marmara
The Sea of Marmara , also known as the Sea of Marmora or the Marmara Sea, and in the context of classical antiquity as the Propontis , is the inland sea that connects the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea, thus separating Turkey's Asian and European parts. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Black...
. Built at the Golden Gate Shipyard by Turkish Shipbuilding Co. in 1994, the ship has a capacity of 1,080 passengers.
Gaza Freedom Flotilla
The ship was purchased in 2010 by the IHH, an IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
NGO active as a charity organization in more than 115 countries. The group has represented its Turkish language name in English in various ways, "IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation" among them. It has held Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council
United Nations Economic and Social Council
The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations constitutes one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and it is responsible for the coordination of the economic, social and related work of 14 UN specialized agencies, its functional commissions and five regional commissions...
since 2004, and is endorsed by international figures that include South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire. Israel's Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center
Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center
Not to be confused with the California-based "Terrorism Information Center".The Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center is an Israeli-based non-governmental organization with close ties to the Israel Defense Forces....
, an NGO with close ties to the Israeli Defense Forces, along with multiple Israeli governmental officials have alleged that the IHH supports terrorism, has smuggled arms on behalf of terrorist groups, and has links to al-Qaeda and other Jihadist groups. The IHH denies these claims, and Greta Berlin, a director of the Free Gaza Movement
Free Gaza Movement
The Free Gaza Movement is a coalition of human rights activists and pro-Palestinian groups formed to challenge the Israeli-Egyptian blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip by sailing humanitarian aid ships to Gaza...
, called the claims "utterly scurrilous", characterizing them as an attempt by the Israeli government to discredit the movement.
The IHH acquired the Mavi Marmara at a cost of $800,000, to be defrayed by public donations, as no shipowner was willing to risk their vessel on the journey. The ship took part in a flotilla of ships operated by activist groups from 37 different countries with the intention of directly confronting the Israeli blockade over Gaza. On 30 May 2010, while in international waters
International waters
The terms international waters or trans-boundary waters apply where any of the following types of bodies of water transcend international boundaries: oceans, large marine ecosystems, enclosed or semi-enclosed regional seas and estuaries, rivers, lakes, groundwater systems , and wetlands.Oceans,...
and en route to Gaza, Israeli Naval Forces communicated that a naval blockade over the Gaza area was in force and ordered the ships to follow them to Ashdod Port or to be boarded, the ships declined and were boarded in international waters.The boarding started at 2 a.m. on 31 May 2010 and was completed by 8 a.m. Reports from journalists on the ship and from the UN report on the incident concluded that the Israeli military opened fire with live rounds before boarding the ship. In the violent clash that followed, nine activists were killed (according to the UN Report), and several dozen activists were injured. Israel stated that at least seven of its IDF soldiers were injured.
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."They also stated that other ships in the aid convoy actually carried the aid.
Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
said that they found knives, metal and wood sticks in the ship. The UN report stated 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. Turkey unveiled its final report on Israeli attack on Gaza-bound aid convoy on 11 Feb 2011.
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 HaifaPort of Haifa
The Port of Haifa is the largest of Israel's three major international seaports, which include the Port of Ashdod, and the Port of Eilat. It has a natural deep water harbor which operates all year long, and serves both passenger and merchant ships. It is one of the largest ports in the eastern...
and the third one at the Port of Ashdod
Port of Ashdod
The Port of Ashdod is one of Israel's two main cargo ports. The port is located in Ashdod, about 40 kilometers south of Tel Aviv, adjoining the mouth of the Lachish River. Its establishment doubled the country's port capacity. It is a major point of entry for both cargo and tourists in and out of...
since then. To bring the ships back home, three tugboat
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
s were dispatched from Turkey. Mavi Marmara was towed by Ocean Ergun in a two-day ride to the Port of Iskenderun
Iskenderun
İskenderun is a city and urban district in the province of Hatay on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. The current mayor is Yusuf Hamit Civelek .-Names:...
arriving an August 7, 2010.
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
Pilothouse
A pilothouse or pilot-house is a glass-enclosed room from which a ship is controlled by the ship's pilot. The pilothouse also is known as the wheelhouse....
. The IHH emblem on the ship's port side was over-painted white. Forensic teams identified some 250 bullet holes in the ship, many of which were painted or plastered over by Israel.
The ship returned to Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
harbour on December 26, 2010, in a welcoming ceremony attended by thousands.
Freedom Flotilla II
A coalition of 22 NGOs announced on 9 May 2011 that Freedom Flotilla II was planned for the third week of June. The Financial Times reported on 17 June 2011 that the Mavi Marmara would not be sailing, as previously announced. The IHH said that after damage caused last year to the ship, that it was not in a position to put to sea. The group stressed that it would still be part of the new flotilla; members of the group will board other ships in the effort.Sister ships
- MS TDI Karadeniz, since renamed MS Dream.