By Roy Ramos
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines
A Turkish navy ship has arrived in the Philippines for a four-day goodwill visit as part of a voyage commemorating the sinking of an Ottoman frigate off Japanese shores 125 years ago.
Commander Lued Lincuna, Philippine navy public affairs chief, told the state-run Philippine News Agency that TCG Gediz (F-495) dropped anchor Monday at a harbor in Manila Bay – one of 18 ports in 14 countries the guided missile frigate will visit during a 122-day tour.
Gediz is simulating the goodwill voyage of the Ertugrul frigate to Japan in Sept. 1890, when more than 580 sailors lost their lives after the vessel was caught in a typhoon off the coast of Wakayama prefecture. It had drifted into a reef before sinking off an island close to Kushimoto town en route to Istanbul.
The people of Kushimoto had helped the stranded sailors, and the entire saga became a milestone in historic friendly relations between Turkey and Japan.
Gediz embarked April 1 from the southwestern Turkish town of Marmaris on a journey to Kushimoto, which it visited earlier this month.
Lincuna said Monday that the ship commanded by Rear Admiral Aydin Sirin, Turkish navy inspection and evaluation chief, was welcomed by Philippine patrol craft Bagong Silang in a customary meeting off Corregidor island before being escorted to the Manila South Harbor.
He added that several activities such as courtesy calls to military heads, receptions, ship tours, professional exchanges and games between Philippine and Turkish navy officials would take place during the friendly visit – the fifth by a Turkish naval ship.
Gediz is not the first Turkish vessel to simulate Ertugrul’s goodwill voyage. The Turgutreis frigate had traveled to Japan for the first time in 1990, and again in 2000. Another vessel named Gemlik had sailed for a third journey in 2011.
