Ertugrul Sunk off Kushimoto Killing 533 Sailors

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Ertugrul

Ertugrul was a sailing frigate of the Ottoman Navy.   Ertugrul was built in the Taskizak Shipyard in Golden Horn, Constantinople and was launched on 19 October 1863.

On 18th September 1890, Ertugrul sank in a typhoon off the coast of Wakayama Prefecture after the Turkish delegation on board delivered a message and decoration to Emperor Meiji.

Around 533 sailors lost their lives and only six officers and sixty-three sailors  survived and returned home later aboard two Japanese corvettes.  The event is still commemorated as a foundation stone of Japanese-Turkish friendship.

Source: Wikipedia