İstanbul ferry voyage delayed over stray dog

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A ferry voyage from İstanbul's Asian-side district of Kadıköy to Beşiktaş on the European side was delayed because of a stray dog that got on the ferry.

After the ferry did not depart as scheduled at 9.15 a.m., an announcement was made from loudspeakers that the voyage had been canceled because of the dog and the ship would depart without passengers. The passengers were asked to leave the ship, but most didn't obey.

Mehmet Emin Kurnaz, an editor for the daily BirGün who was apparently on the ship, tweeted a video from the ferry showing the dog lying on the floor. "The captain said the ship would not set sail until the dog was removed."

Şu an kadikoy-besiktas vapurunda çok enteresan bir şey oldu. Vapurda bir sokak köpeği var diye vapurun kaptanı vapuru hareket ettirmiyor. İnsanları vapurdan indirmeye çalışıyorlar ancak kimse inmek istemiyor.. @istanbulbld pic.twitter.com/YNNilSHeKL

— Mehmet Emin Kurnaz (@m_emin_kurnaz) March 8, 2023

Some people on the ferry said the dog was living in Moda, Kadıköy, and had been vaccinated and chipped by municipal authorities.

The ship took off at 9.36.

Şehir Hatları, the municipal enterprise operating ferries in the city, released a statement after the incident, apologizing for the delay. "In accordance with our animal-friendly company policy, the incident is being thoroughly investigated," it said. (TY/VK)