Search and Rescue

[Jay]

OPERATION DENİZYILANI
Security Classification: RESTRICTED

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RESPONDING AGENCIES

Republic of Türkiye — Turkish Armed Forces Overall SAR Mission Commander: Vice Adm. Mustafa Zeki Uğurlu, Commander of Northern Fleet On-Scene Commander (OSC): Capt. Serhat Kılıçarslan, TCG Alanya (D-601) Air Component Coordinator: Lt. Col. Deniz Aksoy, 92. Filo "Denizyılanı" SAR Mission Coordinator (SMC), shore-based: Rear Adm. Ayla Demirtaş, Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) İstanbul Civilian Component Sahil Güvenlik (Turkish Coast Guard) — Northern Aegean/Marmara Command AFAD (Disaster and Emergency Management Authority) — Marine SAR & mass casualty module Türk Kızılay (Turkish Red Crescent) — survivor reception, triage support, family liaison DHMİ (State Airports Authority) — Istanbul Airport emergency reception, family assistance area

ORDER OF OPERATIONS

92. Filo "Denizyılanı" — A Flight

• x 2 Dassault Rafale M
  • x 4 pilots
  • Role: first-on-scene visual/IR confirmation of debris field and datum
  • Fuel Reserves 100%
  • Armament: air-to-air self-defense loadout only
  • Sensors: FSO front sector optronics, RBE2-AA AESA radar (surface search mode)

19th Squadron Anti-Submarine Warfare Squadron

• x 2 Lockheed Martin P-8A Poseidon
  • x 18 pilots and crew
  • Role: expanding-square search pattern overhead datum, sonobuoy field if ditching suspected, relay comms between OSC and MRCC
  • Fuel Reserves 100%, endurance ~10 hrs on-station capable
  • Sensors: APY-10 surface search radar, EO/IR turret, sonobuoy dispensers (passive only for this tasking)

23rd Squadron Anti-Submarine Warfare Squadron

• x 5 MH-60 Seahawk
  • x 20 pilots and crew
  • Role: low-altitude visual search, rescue swimmer deployment, survivor hoist recovery
  • Fuel Reserves 100%
  • Equipment: rescue hoist (600 lb capacity), 2x rescue swimmers per airframe, basket litters, inflatable life rafts (drop-capable)
  • Medical: trauma bag, AED, oxygen, spinal immobilization board per aircraft

Northern Fleet Surface Assets

• FREMM-Class Frigate — TCG Alanya (D-601)
  • x 200 Sailors (complement)
  • Fuel Reserves 100%, full marine diesel + JP-5 for embarked rotary-wing ops
  • Food & Water: 3-month supply, desalination operational
  • Medical: surgical suite, trauma bay, 2 medical officers, medevac deck
  • Role: OSC platform, embarked helicopter operations, survivor reception and stabilization, sonar search of ditching area if required
• G-Class Frigate (Oliver Hazard Perry-type) — TCG Yavuz (F-240)
  • x 222 Sailors (complement)
  • Fuel Reserves 100%
  • Medical: sick bay, 1 medical officer
  • Role: secondary search platform, perimeter/traffic control of civilian vessels entering datum area, additional survivor capacity

Sahil Güvenlik (Turkish Coast Guard) — Tasked Assets

• x 2 SAR-capable patrol cutters (nearest available stations)
  • Role: close-in search, small-craft maneuverability for wreckage/debris recovery, first civilian medical reception
• x 1 SAR helicopter (AW139 or equivalent, if within range)
  • Role: additional hoist capacity, medevac shuttle to shore

Civilian Vessels Diverted to Datum

• Nearest merchant/commercial vessels within MRCC İstanbul's plot, tasked under standard master's obligation to render assistance
  • Role: eyes-on search while military assets transit, temporary survivor shelter if numbers exceed military capacity, relay of sightings to MRCC
  • No armament, no specialized SAR equipment assumed — treated as force multiplier for visual search only

KISITLI ARAMA KURTARMA OPERASYONU This document pertains to an active maritime search and rescue response coordinated by Turkish Armed Forces, Sahil Güvenlik, AFAD, and supporting civilian agencies. Distribution limited to tasked units and coordinating authorities. ​

RESTRICTED​ Concept of Operations (CONOPS):​ PHASE I – (H+0 to H+1)​ MRCC İstanbul received loss-of-contact notification from Istanbul Approach following KLM1959's last transmission at 41.72393, 28.32074. SMC declares INCERFA escalating immediately to DETRESFA given confirmed emergency squawk, engine fire, and subsequent radar/comms loss. Datum calculated from last radar position, reported heading 135°, and last known altitude/descent profile; search area expanded per standard drift/current modeling for the Marmara Sea. 92. Filo "Denizyılanı" A Flight (2x Rafale) scrambled from nearest aviation unit for immediate visual reconnaissance of datum. PHASE II – ON-SCENE ARRIVAL & SEARCH PATTERN INITIATION (H+1 to H+3)​ Rafale flight confirms visual on debris field/oil sheen or, alternatively, confirms negative surface contact — relays to OSC and MRCC. P-8A Poseidon aircraft arrive on station, establish expanding-square search pattern centered on datum, deploy passive sonobuoy field if ditching (vs. crash) is suspected. MH-60 Seahawks conduct low-level visual search concurrent with P-8 overwatch. TCG Alanya (D-601) and TCG Yavuz (F-240) transit at maximum sustained speed toward datum; ETA calculated at 27 kt (Alanya) and 29 kt (Yavuz) respectively. MRCC İstanbul broadcasts urgent marine warning (AMVER-equivalent) tasking nearby civilian/merchant vessels to divert and assist per master's obligation. PHASE III – SURVIVOR LOCALIZATION & RECOVERY (H+2 to H+8)​ Confirmed survivor locations marked and prioritized by MH-60 rescue swimmers; hoist recovery to helicopter or nearest surface vessel, whichever is faster. Sahil Güvenlik cutters and tasked civilian vessels recover survivors and debris within their search sectors, coordinating position reports through MRCC. TCG Alanya's medical suite designated primary casualty collection point; triage categories (immediate/delayed/minor/expectant) assigned on arrival. TCG Yavuz and Coast Guard cutters serve as secondary collection points if survivor numbers exceed Alanya's capacity. Continuous position logging of all recovered personnel (survivor/deceased) for family notification chain. PHASE IV – MEDEVAC & SHORE TRANSFER (H+4 to H+10)​ Critical casualties medevac'd directly from TCG Alanya or Coast Guard helicopter to nearest shore trauma facility, bypassing Istanbul Airport if a closer hospital landing zone is available. Stable survivors transferred to Istanbul Airport via Coast Guard/Navy helicopter or by frigate to nearest port, then ground ambulance. AFAD marine SAR module and Türk Kızılay establish reception area at Istanbul Airport for survivor processing, medical screening, and family reunification. PHASE V – WRECKAGE LOCALIZATION & DEBRIS RECOVERY (H+6 onward)​ P-8A sonobuoy data and surface debris drift analysis used to narrow probable main wreckage location. If wreckage is in shallow/accessible water, divers will be requested for black box and structural recovery. PHASE VI – (H+10 to H+24)​ Search assets stood down sequentially once MRCC and OSC confirm no further probability of survivors (POS) in remaining search sectors. Formal handover of the incident from SAR response to accident investigation authority (Turkish Directorate General of Civil Aviation)

END OF DOCUMENT BELGENİN SONU​

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CAMPAIGN REGISTER

Operation	Objective	Status
Operation DENİZYILANI – Phase I: Alert & Datum	Declare DETRESFA, calculate datum from last known position and heading, scramble fastest-response air asset	Completed
Operation DENİZYILANI – Phase II: Search Pattern Initiation	Establish expanding-square search with P-8, MH-60, and surface assets; task civilian vessels via MRCC broadcast	Completed
Operation DENİZYILANI – Phase III: Survivor Localization & Recovery	Locate, triage, and recover survivors via hoist and surface pickup; establish casualty collection point aboard TCG Alanya	In Progress
Operation DENİZYILANI – Phase IV: Medevac & Shore Transfer	Transfer critical and stable survivors to shore medical and reception facilities; coordinate family notification	In Progress
Operation DENİZYILANI – Phase V: Wreckage Localization & Debris Recovery	Narrow probable wreckage site via sonar/drift analysis; recover debris under ICAO Annex 13 chain-of-custody standards	Pending
Operation DENİZYILANI – Phase VI: Stand-Down & Investigation Handover	Stand down search assets, hand over to civil aviation accident investigation authority, reopen maritime corridor	Pending

 

[Jay]

SECRET

​

The alarm rang quickly through the airbase as the pilots on standby for that day Lieutentants Kilic Ulas, Yilma Sen, Zeynel Neftci, and Idris Bilici ran out of their station room to a bus downstairs. The bus sped down the tarmac to their parked Rafale M aircrafts.

The sleek fighter gleamed in the fading light and already outfitted with weapons systems and ready for take-off as a quick reaction alert aircraft.

Kilic noticed Yilma rushing to her aircraft, and with a mischievous grin, he called out.

"Hey Yilma, try to not forget to turn on your engines this time."

Yilma shook her head as she put on her helmet and flopped down onto her ejection seat, the crew chief already up on the ladder beside her, hands moving fast over the harness buckles.

"Engines were fine last time, Kilic, it was your radio that was on the wrong frequency," she shot back over the intercom, voice slightly muffled through the mask.

"Details," Kilic said, dropping into his own cockpit two bays down, his crew chief already reaching for the canopy rail.

Below them, the ground crews moved quickly, chocks still in, intake covers being ripped free, the whine of the auxiliary power units rising under each aircraft. Zeynel's canopy was already sliding down. Idris was last off the bus, jogging the final few meters to his jet, one arm still working through his g-suit strap.

"Crew chief clear," Yilma's technician called down, thumping twice on the fuselage before dropping off the ladder.

Tower, Alpha Flight, four aircraft, ready for engine start.

The tower controller responded. "Alpha Flight, Tower, cleared to start engines. Priority track zulu-zulu-zero-zero-one, unidentified, east coast inbound northwest, three-five-thousand feet.

One by one the M88 turbofans spooled up, that low building shriek rolling across the pan. Kilic watched his engine instruments climb through the green and kicked his radio.

"Alpha One, good start, both engines nominal."

"Alpha Two, good start," Yilma called next, already running her hands across the MFDs, radar coming up, datalink syncing to the operations center feed. The track was already ghosted onto her scope, unlabeled, drifting slow and steady toward the coast.

"Alpha Three, good start."

"Alpha Four, good start, standby..." Idris's voice cut off for a second, then came back. "Correction, good start, all systems nominal."

"Alpha Flight, Tower, cleared to taxi, runway two-seven, wind calm." The tower said to the pilots who were already rolling out of their shelters in a loose staggered line, canopies down now, weapons pylons catching the last of the light.

Kilic led them out onto the taxiway, glancing once in his mirror to make sure Yilma was tucked in behind him.
"Try to keep up this time," he said.

"I'm always the one waiting on you, Kilic."

The tower cut back in before he could answer.

"Alpha Flight, hold ready for takeoff runway two-seven. Takeoff clearance pending, awaiting confirmation from Air Force Command Center."

A pause, three, four seconds that stretched longer than they should have, then the controller's voice came again.

"Alpha Flight, Tower, cleared for takeoff. Vector to track zulu-zulu-zero-zero-one and report identification. Be advised we have a reported civilian aircraft that has gone dark. Last known coordinates 41.72393, 28.32074.

Kilic pushed the throttle forward, felt the afterburner light with a shove that pressed him back into the seat.

"Alpha One, rolling."

"Alpha Two, rolling," Yilma echoed a heartbeat later, her jet leaping off the tarmac behind him, gear already coming up before she'd cleared the runway threshold.

Four Rafales climbed out over the darkening water in close formation, noses coming around onto the vector, afterburners cutting out one after another as they settled into their climb.

"Alpha Flight, check," Kilic called.

"Two."

"Three."

"Four, good."

"Tower, Alpha Flight is airborne, proceeding to track, estimated time to identification." He glanced at the countdown ticking on his HUD. "...six minutes over."

Below and behind them, the airbase lights fell away, and somewhere out over the dark water ahead, alpha flight kept flying its slow, silent, unlabeled course north.

​

The bridge of TCG Alanya was quiet except for the soft chatter of the watch team. Captain Serhat Kılıçarslan was going over the morning's intel report for the black sea when the comms officer straightened at his station, one hand pressing his headset tighter against his ear.

"Captain, priority flash traffic from Northern Fleet, Naval Operations Command."

"Read it." Serhat said, walking over to the comms officer.

"All stations, all stations, this is Naval Operations Command. Civilian aircraft, KLM One Niner Five Niner, possible crash, last known position four one point seven two three nine three north, two eight point three two zero seven four east. All available units divert and proceed at best speed. Acknowledge."

The bridge went still for half a second.

"Acknowledge receipt," Kılıçarslan said, already turning toward the helm. "Get me a plot on that position."

"Aye, Captain." The navigator's hands were moving before he'd finished the sentence, calipers walking across the chart even as the position populated on the ECDIS.

"Position confirmed, Captain, bearing zero-two-five relative, range approximately ninety-four nautical miles."

Kılıçarslan didn't hesitate. "Helm, come to course zero-two-five, all ahead flank. Officer of the Deck, sound general quarters for sea and anchor detail, get the flight deck ready to receive the helicopter, and I want the medical suite stood up now, not when we arrive."

"Course zero-two-five, all ahead flank, aye." The helmsman spun the wheel, and beneath their feet the deck began to hum with the deeper note of the gas turbines spooling up past cruise.

"General quarters, aye." The alarm sounded through the ship, and Kılıçarslan heard it echo faintly a moment later over the bridge-to-bridge, TCG Yavuz, a few cables off their port quarter, answering the same call.

"Yavuz acknowledges, Captain, coming to station astern of us, matching course and speed."

"Good." He picked up the bridge phone to the XO, who was already three decks down organizing the medical party. "Bring everyone up to readiness, full triage set. This isn't a drill."

"Understood, Captain, we'll be ready."

The two frigates cut hard through the darkening water, wakes churning white behind them, and within minutes the low grey shape of the Bosphorus opened up ahead, the strait narrowing the world down to a corridor of shoreline lights and slow-moving tanker traffic they now had to thread through at speed.

"Bridge, this is lookout, aircraft, multiple, low altitude, bearing zero-one-zero, crossing right to left."

Kılıçarslan raised his binoculars. Five dark silhouettes, low and fast against the fading sky, the double-rotor-mast profile of Seahawks cutting north over the strait in a loose formation, running lights blinking against the dusk.

His XO had come up to the bridge in time to catch it too, standing at his shoulder now, watching the same patch of sky.

"Where are they heading?" the XO asked.

"Same heading as us, more or less." Kılıçarslan lowered the binoculars slowly. "Is the medical bay ready. Put extra cots and thermals. They will be freezing by the time we arrive."

The XO followed his gaze north, toward where the helicopters had already shrunk to small moving shapes against the darkening horizon. "Already done sir. We are ready."

"Good." Kılıçarslan handed the binoculars off and turned back toward the helm, voice dropping back into the flat, procedural cadence of a man with a great deal of ocean left to cross. "Officer of the Deck, log the sighting, time and bearing. And get me an update from Naval Ops, I want to know if anyone's got eyes on that debris field yet."

Behind them, the lights of Istanbul slid past on both sides as TCG Alanya and TCG Yavuz pushed north through the strait, chasing the same dark stretch of open water the helicopters had already disappeared into.

JamieA