Divers who were diving in the Gulf of Izmit in the district of Karamürsel in Kocaeli, northern Türkiye, conducted a seabed cleaning activity in honor of World Environment Day.

Organized with the contributions of Karamürsel Water Sports and Diving Sports Club (KARSAD), Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality, Karamürsel Municipality, IMEAK Chamber of Shipping's Kocaeli branch, the S.S. Karamürsel Aquaculture Cooperative and the Deep Respect Diving Community, 16 divers gathered at KARSAD's service building in Kayacık Neighborhood.

Divers, escorted by boats to the coast of the Hacıömer neighborhood, entered the water from approximately 50 meters (165 feet) away from the shore and collected waste in an area of ​​approximately 2,000 square meters (21,530 square feet) up to a depth of 10 meters.

The divers, who brought approximately 500 kilograms (over 1,100 pounds) of waste to the shore, including car tires, shoes, plastic pots, bottles, tin cans, PET bottles, cake molds, wooden pieces and lighters, displayed a banner in the water with the inscription "Protecting the Seas for the Future."

Zeki Şirinoğlu, president of KARSAD, expressed their happiness in conducting a meaningful activity, stating that a joint marine cleaning event with the slogan "protect the seas" is held all over Türkiye.

"Our goal is to explain and show how important marine cleaning is to our people. The sea is vital for us, especially the Gulf of Izmit. There are industries involved, other factors, so we need to pay more attention compared to the open sea," Şirinoğlu said.

World Environment Day is celebrated annually on June 5 to put a spotlight on the environmental challenges of our time. World Environment Day 2024 focuses on land restoration, stopping desertification and building drought resilience.