Jet ski capsizes off Bodrum: one minor dead in Greek waters off Kos, two adults still missing, search hampered by 5 Beaufort winds

The accident and initial response

A jet ski carrying three people capsized on the afternoon of 15 July 2026 in Turkish waters near Bodrum. The family on board were Iraqi nationals, according to one report. Turkey's Search and Rescue Centre contacted its Greek counterpart requesting assistance, after the survivor who remained ashore, the mother of the family, alerted the Turkish authorities that the craft had overturned. Fears grew that sea currents had pushed the missing persons toward Greek waters.

Greek and Turkish forces launched a joint search immediately. On the Greek side, a Hellenic Coast Guard patrol boat and a Hellenic Air Force helicopter were deployed. The search area experienced northwest winds of 5 Beaufort, complicating the operation.

Recovery of the minor

During the search, a Coast Guard vessel located the girl unconscious in Greek territorial waters northeast of Kos. She was pulled from the sea and taken to the General Hospital of Kos, where doctors confirmed her death. A coroner's examination has been ordered to determine the exact cause. Her age has not yet been released, and neither have further details of her identity. One report placed the time of recovery shortly after 21:00 local time.

The minor was transported to the General Hospital of Kos, where her death was confirmed.

The missing adults

Two adults remain unaccounted for. The articles offer two accounts of their relationship to the deceased: some describe them as two adults, while others identify them specifically as the girl's father and sister. Searches continue across the wider maritime area, with the Coast Guard vessel and the Air Force helicopter still active. Turkish authorities are conducting parallel operations from their side.

The wind conditions, recorded at 5 Beaufort from the northwest, are making the rescue teams' work more difficult, according to the reports.

A cross-border operation

This incident triggered a rare moment of operational coordination between Greek and Turkish rescue services. The Turkish centre made the initial call for assistance, and the Hellenic Coast Guard Search and Rescue Centre activated its assets within Greek territorial waters. The fact that the victim was recovered on the Greek side, northeast of Kos, while the accident site was off the Turkish coast at Bodrum, illustrates how currents in this part of the Aegean can rapidly carry people across the maritime boundary.