Turkish yacht designer and Mazu Yachts co-founder Halit Yukay has been reported missing after his yacht Graywolf was discovered wrecked in the Sea of Marmara, Turkey.
According to local reports, the 43-year-old was en route from Yalova to the Greek island of Mykonos at the time of his disappearance. Rescue teams, including divers, have been scouring the area since Tuesday (5 August) but have failed to find Yukay.
Yukay was a respected figure and great friend to many in the yachting industry. Founded in 2011, his yard Mazu Yachts quickly made a name for itself producing seaworthy and economical chase boats – and would later carve its own niche in the semi-custom yachting sector.
The Turkish builder has produced several yacht series in the years since, from the 24.9-metre Mazu 82 to its flagship, the 40.2-metre 132 DS. Many accolades followed Mazu Yachts' segue into the 24-metre-plus segment, including for the 28.5-metre Waterlily, which was a finalist at the 2024 BOAT International Design & Innovation Awards.
"Halit is a friend and a constant source of inspiration and bold ideas," said Nicola Pomi, head of Volvo Penta’s yacht division. "Today, while we hope and wait, we hold on to his spirit. We are closely following the ongoing search and rescue efforts, and our thoughts are with Halit, his family, and the Mazu team."
BOAT International will update the story as it develops.