Updated: Body of missing Georgian sailor found

Updated: 17:45

The Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia reports that 22-year-old Davit Razmadze, a Georgian sailor who disappeared from a ship in Libya on 7 January 2019, has been found dead. Director of the Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia Tamar Ioseliani says his body has been identified.

Earlier: 14:53

A 22-year-old Georgian sailor who disappeared from a Turkish ship on 7 January is still missing.

Davit Razmadze went missing on the Turkish MV Dogan Bey in Libya – the Georgian government is collaborating with the Libyan government to investigate the cause behind his disappearance.

“All details related to the incident are unclear for now. Our embassy is collaborating with with the Libyan government. No account can be excluded until we have all the details from the investigation”, said Deputy Director of the Consulate Department of the Georgian Foreign Ministry Vladimir Konstantinidi.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry was notified of Razmadze’s disappearance on 15 January.  

“Given the fact that the ship is owned by a Turkish company, we gave orders to the Consulate General of Georgia in Istanbul and our embassy in Egypt,” Vladimir Konstantinidi added.

Davit Razmadze’s family members say they spoke with Davit for the last time on 6 January and he said he had been sailing to Libya on a Turkish ship.

Davit Razmadze’s aunt, Nino Labadze, says the Turkish company let them know about the incident a week later on 14 January via post.

At 16:00 o’clock when the next on-duty sailor was supposed to replace him, he was no longer on the spot. His cell phone, personal items and cigarettes were there. He didn’t leave the ship.”

His family and relatives presume he left the ship and was then arrested by police. There are two other Georgian citizens working on the ship in question.