Ottoman frigate Ertuğrul wrecked off Kushimoto, Japan (1890–1891)

The Ottoman frigate Ertuğrul, launched in 1863, foundered off Kushimoto, Wakayama, in September 1890 during a return voyage from Japan. The ship struck reefs during a typhoon, resulting in significant loss of life. Only 69 survivors returned to Istanbul aboard Japanese corvettes. The incident is commemorated in Kushimoto, where a cemetery and memorial were established for recovered bodies.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. Ertuğrul was a sailing frigate of the Ottoman Navy launched in 1863. The voyage was a goodwill mission to Japan, prompted by diplomatic exchanges including the presentation of the Order of the Chrysanthemum to the Sultan in 1887. The Grand Vizier Kâmil Pasha selected the frigate for the mission, and Captain Ali Osman Bey was appointed commanding officer in April 1889.

Voyage to Japan. The frigate departed Istanbul in July 1889 with 607 sailors. It ran aground in the Suez Canal, damaging the stern post and rudder, but was repaired in Singapore. After a stop in Saigon, Ertuğrul arrived in Yokohama on 7 June 1890. The crew was received by Emperor Meiji and Prince Yoshihito Haru before departing Yokohama on 15 September 1890.

Aftermath and Commemoration. Sixty-nine survivors were transported back to Istanbul aboard Japanese corvettes in October 1890. The Sultan decorated the Japanese officers for their relief efforts in January 1891. A cemetery for 150 recovered bodies and a memorial were established in Kushimoto in February 1891. The event is commemorated every five years in Kushimoto.

People involved

Sources

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.