President Erdogan Salutes Naval Fleet During TEKNOFEST Blue Homeland Parade
Istanbul, The Gulf Observer: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday greeted distinguished ships of the Turkish Navy as they passed through the Istanbul Strait during the TEKNOFEST Blue Homeland parade.
The naval display featured Türkiye’s largest indigenously-developed warship, TCG Anadolu, along with the historic TCG Savarona, a legacy vessel of the Republic’s founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Other ships in the parade included TCG Orucreis, TCG Istanbul, TCG Heybeliada, TCG Kalkan, TCG Alanya, TCG Sancaktar, and the submarine TCG Hizirreis.
The parade began at Istanbul’s Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge and proceeded along prominent districts including Sariyer, Tarabya, Emirgan, Kanlica, Rumeli Hisari, Kandilli-Bebek, Ortakoy, and concluded at the July 15 Martyrs Bridge. Citizens lined the shores and recorded the event, sharing photos on social media under the hashtag #TeknofestMaviVatan.
President Erdogan observed the ceremony from the Dolmabahce Working Office, accompanied by First Lady Emine Erdogan, who wore white in homage to the Naval Forces Command. Naval crews on the ships honored the president with a 21-gun salute and a traditional maritime salute. Erdogan waved to both the sailors and citizens on board as the parade progressed.
The ceremony concluded after the president formally saluted the fleet, highlighting Türkiye’s naval capabilities and commitment to national defense.
