PIRATES IN THE
MED.
I found my dream Gulet in Marmaris earlier this year and paid Euro 1 million to the
broker Gulet Group. I had been searching for a number of years and got to well know Ceitin Korkut and his assistant Okan Korkut after many visits to Marmaris. I paid Gulet Group for the 45m
boat and all appeared in order.
They then requested Euro 100,000 to deliver the
boat to
South Africa, which I paid. Part of the agreed arrangement was that I would spend a few weeks on board whilst it travelled through the
Mediterranean. Gulet Group provided a crew of four under the captaincy of Serdar Bedir. The boat is a sailing
motor yacht. After many requests over two weeks I asked the
captain to sail the boat rather than
motor all the time. Finally they raised the
sails, and it was clear that they did not know what they were doing, and tore one sail. They quickly reverted to the motor! I informed Gulet Group that I was concerned that the incompetency at sailing would not only endanger the boat but their own lives out in the open Atlantic. After my report Gulet Group apparently terminated the
contract through the office in Marmaris.
Captain Serdar was sent the following
email in
English and Turkish,
serdar let me know urgently position of the phealan good cordinates and take the new crew of owner to the boat and make sure the leaving boat to new crew all s okey on the boat and let me know your flight date to
turkey atleast two day before so ı can send your tickets.i dont want any other explain or idear if you have anythink to say you seat with cetin and clear all with him.
contackt to mr cetin or owner of the boat with mails and inform them they can send new crew.
kaptan cengiz selcuk
Gulet Group said it would be difficult to get a replacement crew quickly and we agreed that I would find a replacement, which I did.
I tracked the boat to San Raphael in South of
France and sent the new crew. Captain Serdar refused to allow them on board. They now hold my boat for past 5 weeks. Last week I sent another representative and again Captain Serdar refused to allow him on board. Captain Serdar says he is owed
money, but refuses to say how much or provide me with a copy of his
contract.
Ceitin and Okan Korkut the owners of Gulet Group refuse to be of any assistance and ignore my emails. They refuse to refund any part of the Euro100, 000 I have paid them to deliver the yacht the full way.
guletgroup.com is a very fancy website and certainly inspires confidence, however such brokerage firm appear regulated in
Turkey by no one.
It is ironic that I decided to have the boat sailed 'the long way around' via the Atlantic so as to avoid
Somalia pirates only to have my own crew pirate the boat instead!
Surely this is not the norm for business in Turkey in 21st century???
Any assistance or suggestions will be greatly appreciateD