Prosecutors charge Turkish captain over boat deaths

ANTALYA, Turkey (AA) – The captain of a tour boat which capsized in the Turkish Mediterranean on Sunday carrying dozens of people was remanded to stand trial on Tuesday.

Two people died and 84 were rescued after the tourist vessel went down off Turkey’s southern province of Antalya.

Four people -- the captain, two other crew members and the boat’s owner -- were detained after the incident.

Security sources said the three other individuals were released but the captain is to face charges.

Antalya Chief Public Prosecutor Ramazan Solmaz said the boat left port on Saturday in Kaleici, carrying 86 people, including crew. It then capsized in bad weather off the coast of Konyaalti, just two kilometers (1.2 miles) away.

It sank to a depth of 45 meters, Solmaz added.

The Turkish Coast Guard and marine police teams were deployed to the scene for a search-and-rescue operation.