In Memory of Our Martyr Sailors: Respect Dive in Dumlupınar After 72 Years

The 81 sailors who were martyred aboard the TCG Dumlupınar (D-6) submarine, which sank in the Dardanelles Strait after colliding with the Swedish-flagged Naboland on April 4, 1953, while waiting for rescue, were commemorated with a meaningful ceremony held in the depths. Immortalized in our nation's memory with the words "Long Live the Motherland," these heroes were remembered again in the waters of Çanakkale on August 30, Victory Day.

A seven-person diving team dived to the wreck at a depth of 87 meters during a joint program organized by the Naval Forces Command, the Çanakkale Governor's Office, the Gallipoli Historical Site Directorate of the Gallipoli Campaign, the Coast Guard Command, the Gendarmerie General Command, and the National Defense University. A special plaque bearing the Dumlupınar coat of arms, commemorating the 81 martyrs, was handed over to the dive team by Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Dr. Serdar Çam and other officials, and deposited at the wreck's location off Nara Point.

İsmail Kaşdemir, Head of the Gallipoli Historical Site of the Gallipoli Campaign: "Those great people sacrificed their lives and their last words were 'May the homeland live long.'"

Speaking at the diving program, Çanakkale Wars Gallipoli Historical Site Director İsmail Kaşdemir said, "On August 30th Victory Day, a dive of respect was carried out for our martyrs of Dumlupınar, who lie in the heart of our blue homeland. First of all, on such a special day, and to commemorate our martyrs of Dumlupınar, who have earned an eternal place in the hearts of the Turkish nation, with respect and mercy, we, as the Çanakkale Wars Gallipoli Historical Site Directorate, organized an event. Our divers dived to the literal grave of our 81 Mehmetçik (soldiers) from our TCG Dumlupınar submarine, which unfortunately sank in a tragic accident in the deep waters of the Çanakkale Strait in 1953. They captured images. Once again, we remembered those great heroes with respect and gratitude. This was not just a dive; it was an event to remember those great heroes and pass them on to future generations. Those great people sacrificed their lives, and their last words were, 'May the motherland live long.' He added, "I believe that today's sons and daughters of our motherland, who are still alive, have not forgotten them." We reiterate this to show that we will not forget. We commemorate with mercy those who made these lands our homeland. On August 30th Victory Day, we commemorate with mercy Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, his heroic comrades-in-arms, our cherished martyrs, and our veterans, and we reiterate that we will never forget them, God willing. We also commemorate with mercy the martyrs of Dumlupınar. May their cherished souls rest in peace."

This special dive went down in history not only as a commemoration, but also as a gesture of loyalty that kept the spirit of Çanakkale alive in the depths of the sea and perpetuated the precious memory of our martyrs.