M/F Ankara Returning To Turkey

M/F Ankara made the news yesterday in Libya and around the world.

The ferry sailed from Çeşme, İzmir on 27 March 2010. For the last five days she was waiting 25 miles off the coast of the Libyan city Misurata. The fighting in and around the city prevented M/F Ankara to dock at the harbor.

On 2. April she was able to dock in Misurata. After disembarking her cargo of 2 tons of medical supplies, she  picked up  250 wounded Libyans. After leaving Misurata in the evening of 2. April M/F Ankara arrived in Benghazi, yesterday.

In Benghazi 60 more wounded Libyans are taken on board along with 40 more evacuees of different nationalities. M/F Ankara is expected to arrive in Çeşme, İzmir in two days time..

While the ferry was waiting off Libyan coast she was protected by 12 F-16 fighter planes and by Turkish warships. There are reports that M/F Ankara arrived in Misurata with two unnamed Turkish frigates escorting her. But in the official announcement of Turkish Foreign Ministry only F-243 TCG Yıldırım is mentioned as escort.

The humanitarian mission of M/F Ankara to Libya was received a wide media coverage.

Libya: Turkish ship rescues injured from Misrata

Turkish ship rescues hundreds from Misurata

Turkish ship evacuates wounded from Libya city

Ship rescues dozens wounded by Gadhafi troops

Turkish hospital ship rescues Libyan wounded

Ship ferries Libyan wounded from besieged Misurata