The historical state yacht Savarona has been restored in Turkey

The historic 136 metre motor yacht Savarona, on which the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, spent the last years of his life, has been re-launched after a refit carried out in accordance with the vessel's original specifications. The maintenance and repair work was carried out since last autumn in the dry dock of the Istanbul Shipyard under the initiative and supervision of the Turkish Navy Command.

The majestic vessel with steel hull and superstructure, formerly named Gunes Dil, was built in Germany by Blohm & Voss in 1931. During his illness, Atatürk lived aboard this yacht for several months. Savarona was therefore the venue for many meetings and state visits, giving her a special place in Turkish history. In the late 1980s, after being dismantled, the yacht was leased by Turkish businessman Kahraman Sadıkoğlu, who undertook a comprehensive refit. As a result of the renovation, Sadıkoğlu preserved Atatürk's cabin in its original form as a museum.

At the end of the lease in 2013, the ship was taken over by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and handed over to the navy by mid-2019. According to Turkish media reports, the repair work undertaken by the navy found elevated levels of asbestos harmful to humans in the coatings, insulation and other parts of the yacht. In addition, electrical cables and pipework used materials that did not meet modern quality standards. Following this, at the end of November last year, reconstruction of the problematic units and areas of the yacht began. As part of the extensive work on Savarona, the Caterpillar main engines and machinery control system were also overhauled.

Once the repairs were completed, the yacht was launched for sea trials. The Ministry of Defence has previously announced that Savarona will be used for maritime training of cadets at the Naval Academy after the repair work is completed.