II. Abdulhamid ordered a return visit by sending a delegation to Japan after the nephew of the Emperor Komeii of Japan visited Istanbul in 1887 with a warship. Ship, II. He would bring jeweled concession and other gifts from Abdulhamid to the Japanese Emperor.

 

At the request of the Sultan, the most beautiful ship of the navy was allocated for this job. Despite the reports of some experts that this ship was rotten and would not be able to complete such a voyage, the Ertuğrul Frigate set out from Istanbul in July 1889. He made his first failure in the Sueysh Canal and was traveling along his Route, stopping by various ports. When the frigate arrived in Singapore, the head of the convoy, Miralay Osman Bey, was promoted to the Admiralty. The convoy was greeted with magnificent displays of affection by the peoples of the countries and Muslims it visited, and sometimes groups of thousands of people visited the ship. The ship arrived in Yokohama Port, Japan, 11 months later, on June 7, 1890.

 

Emperor Komeii greeted the Turkish admiral and his delegation splendidly. The people of the city followed the Turkish admiral's departure to the Emperor in his palace car, with displays of affection.

 

Ertuğrul Frigate gave concerts with its 50-person band to thousands of Japanese boats around it for three months during its stay in Japanese waters. Finally, the preparations for the return journey were completed. Despite the typhoon warning of the Japanese Navy on the day of departure, the Ertuğrul Frigate left Yokohama Port on September 15, 1890, as planned. The Ertuğrul Frigate, which was caught in a typhoon off the coast of Kushimoto, crashed into the rocks on September 16, 1890 and sank. Only 69 sailors survived the accident, and the other crew members, including Admiral Osman Bey, lost their lives.

 

The tragic end of the Ertuğrul Frigate brought the Turkish-Japanese peoples closer. Local people showed great help and closeness to the survivors of the accident. A Japanese named Torajiro Yamada organized an aid campaign for the relatives of martyrs and survivors. The collected money was delivered to the sultan of the period by the same person. The 69 surviving sailors were sent to Istanbul by the order of the Emperor of Japan, with two military ships named Hiei and Kong.

 

A monument was built in Kushimoto in memory of those who died in the accident. While the first monument was erected by the Japanese in 1891, it was enlarged by the Japanese in 1929. The Martyrdom Monument was also visited by the Japanese Emperor on 3 June 1929. Every year, commemoration ceremonies are held regularly in front of the monument, which was restored by Turkey in 1937.

 

The town of Kushimoto is sister cities to Mersin and Yakakent. There is also a museum in Kushimoto. In the "Turkish Museum" built in 1974, there are models of the Ertuğrul Frigate, photographs and sculptures of the soldiers and commanders on board.

 

Among the martyrs were Hasan Âli Yücel's mother Neyyire Hanım, his grandfather and Can Yücel's great-grandfather Captain Âli Bey.