Turkey: 37 rescued, 1 body recovered from capsized boat

A total of 37 passengers were rescued from a boat which capsized in the Mediterranean Sea off southern Turkey, Turkish Coast Guard Command said Tuesday.

One body was also recovered from the tourist boat, which capsized off the coast of Alanya in the coastal Antalya province, said the coast guards.

Speaking to reporters, Alanya Mayor Adem Murat Yucel said the casualty, a 37-year-old foreign national, had been caught in a narrow area of the boat and was unable to get free.

Later, the victim was identified as Daniiar Mukhitov from Russia, body of whom has been sent to the morgue of the Alanya Forensic Medicine Institute.

According to a written statement by Antalya Governorate, an emergency call was made by the tour boat, named Baba Selavi, with 33 Russian nationals and five boat personnel aboard.

Acting on the emergency call, coast guards rescued 32 tourists along with five crew.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also conveyed his condolences to the family of the deceased.

"I express my condolences to the family of our Russian guest who died in the boat accident in Alanya, and my good wishes to those who were rescued from the accident. We will take care of all the needs of the victims," he said on Twitter both in Turkish and Russian languages. 

Fatih Urkmezer, Alanya district governor, told reporters that an investigation into the incident is ongoing.

As part of the probe initiated by the Alanya Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the captain of the boat Ali K. and four crew members were detained, but following their testimonies, the four were released.

Some 15 tourists, who were taken to the hospital, were discharged after medical controls.

Commenting on the possible reason, Urkmezer said: "It may be windblown, but it will all become clear after the investigation."

*Writing by Merve Aydogan, Ahmet Gencturk, and Jeyhun Aliyev