PROJECT D-354

IS ABOUT a DESTROYER AND IS A NEW AGE HISTORICAL project. AQUATEC - INNERSPACE OPERATIONS LTD. HAS THE GOAL TO finalise the accurate HISTORY ABOUT THE VESSEL AND TO LOCATE THE WRECK.

DESTROYER DATA

LOA: 118.9m / BEAM: 12.5m / DRAUGHT: 5.8m / BRT: 3500T / 2 PROPELLERS

THE Destroyer was built

in 1944/45 FOR THE US NAVY AND NAMED USS Harwood DD-861. 

She was engaged in the Cuban mission and in Vietnam.

TURKEY

BOUGHT THE VESSEL on Dec. 17^th 1971 and renamed HER Kocatepe d-354.

DURING THE CYPRUS WAR

IN 1974, A FALSIFIED GREEK RADIO MESSAGE LEAD TURKEY TO BELIEVE THAT A GREEK CONVOY OF SHIPS IS HEADING TO CYPRUS. TURKEY SENT SEVERAL DESTROYERS TO INVESTIGATE THE MATTER.

AT THE SAME TIME TURKISH F100D AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF FROM THE MAIN LAND TO FIND THE GREEK CONVOY.

HOWEVER THEY ONLY FOUND THE TURKISH DESTROYERS AND UNDER THE BELIEVE THE VESSELS ARE FROM GREECE THEY ATTACKED THE TURKISH SHIPS.

THE KOCATEPE WAS SUNK WITH MANY LOSS OF CREW. THE OTHER DESTROYERS WERE HEAVILY DAMAGED BUT ESCAPED.

RESEARCH AND SEARCH

FOR THE LOST VESSEL IS UNDER WAY SINCE MANY YEARS.

ACCESS TO DETAILED INFORMATION IS DIFFICULT DUE TO THE PRESENT POLITICAL SITUATION IN CYPRUS.

3RD PARTIES (BRITISH, US-AMERICAN, ISRAELI) INVOLVED DURING THE 1974 CONFLICT AND THE DESTROYER INCIDENT ARE NOT OF GREAT HELP.

ISRAELI SOURCES, PARTLY INVOLVED IN THE RESCUE OPERATIONS FOR THE KOCATEPE SURVIVORS, "RECOMMENDED" TO STOP ANY FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS AND NOT GET INVOLVED IN THE MATTER.

BRITISH NAVAL AND OTHER MARINE SOURCES GAVE WRITTEN STATEMENTS NOT TO KNOW OF THE LOCATION OF THE WRECK, BUT LLOYDS OF LONDON HAS A SINKING POSITION OF THE KOCATEPE.  

AQUATEC - INNERSPACE OPERATIONS LTD. CONTINUES THE SEARCH FOR THE WRECK USING ELECTRO ACOUSTIC EQUIPMENT. POSSIBLE TARGETS ARE VERIFIED BY ROV AND MANNED DIVE OPERATIONS.

...MORE TO COME...